Shadow Upon the Sun
by Rakusa
Summary: Bella has arrived in forks her junior year of high school. The Cullens arrive five years later. Thus ensuring a complete wrench in the way the original story ran its course, allowing the fated one to take its place. At least, until that fateful day. Suspn
1. Prologue

Shadow Upon the Sun

01/01/2009

Rakusa

AN: I hope to write a few Twilight stories, right now, I'm only planning on two, or four at the most. That is all, my first love is and always will be a different series, and I plan to go back to it full force once these are written. Why do I write these? While, they were in my head and refuse to leave. So here I am, writing a different series.... Also, please note, I totally disregard the fourth installment into the series, it just doesn't exist to me, I felt it was a complete betrayal to all the characters involved. _That said,_ I must however admit that I will use _some _of it for a guide in later stories I wish to put out into this site. This story doesn't get there, at least I don't think it will...

Summary: Bella returns to Forks the same time she does in the novels, however the Vampires come later than they do in the original version.

Prologue

"Bella, your car's here." Charlie calls up to me as I was the last dish from breakfast. I sigh in relief, I had feared what would have happened my first day if it was compounded with the fact that Charlie had to drive me to school in his cruiser.

I already was going to have too much attention on me as it was. I put the dish into the drying rack and leave the falsely cherry yellow kitchen and brave the cold in only my sweater and jeans. Managing not to tip over as I shove my feet into my black boots.

I noticed several things once I walked out into the thawing late winter month. The first thing I see is my truck. It was old, beaten up, but in good shape, and a faded red color. I could see myself in it easily. In fact, I would be in it, quite shortly.

The other thing I noticed was who delivered my truck. It was a boy who looked strangely familiar. His skin was a dark russet color and his long black hair was tied back in a pony-tail as he looked over the engine for any last issues that could cause my track record to tally-up another point.

I bit my lip as I came nearer, my arms were already around my waist, trying to warm myself up, it had been a mistake to come out without the proper attire. "Bella!" Charlie calls my name and I look up to him.

"Do you remember Jacob and Billy Black?" He asks as he gestures to each in turn.

I tilt my head to the side as I think through the names in my mind, they rang a bell and then images of two children came to mind, one a girl and the other a boy. We were fishing. My eyes narrow as I concentrate on that memory and then I nodded to my viewers. "I do, we used to sit in his boat and play with the lines cast into the water for us, but I never caught anything."

"I never did either." Jacob, the boy, came up to me, wiping his hands off on his pant leg. "We decided to stay on shore since then."

I nodded, Billy and my father were in a conversation off to the side as soon as Jacob had come up to me. There was no tension between the two of them, and I had the strangest feeling as if there should have been a slight disagreement, but I brushed the thought away. There was nothing for them to disagree about.

"Thank you, I imagine it is your truck, you are given up, so I don't have to be embarrassed every morning?" I had saved up money to buy my own but Charlie had maneuvered me out of the way and gotten me the truck for free.

"Yeah, but truth be told, you saved me a huge hassle of trying to convince my dad to unload this in the dump." Jacob laughed. I only tilted my head in curiosity and he continued. "I like to work on cars, and I really want a rabbit."

I nod, that's understandable. "Will you get it now?"

"Oh yeah, we are going to swing by and pick it up. Actually, if you could drop me off, that'd be great. It'd give those two time to catch up on the latest scoring last night."

I squint my eyes trying to remember what Charlie had been so enthralled with last night, and I remembered, boys on a wooden floor and then my eyes opened in merriment, I knew what he had been watching. "Basketball, right?"

"Yep." Jacob paused, looking away for a moment before looking back at me. "Do you watch?"

"No, I prefer not to watch much TV." I told him in response. "I'm more of a reader."

"Ah, I don't really watch those games either." Jacob gestured towards the truck and I nodded, almost forgetting that I was completely unprepared for the rest of the day. "One second." I turn around and rush back into the house to grab my parka and school pack.

I come back out and he is sitting in the passenger seat, waiting for me. I pull the door open with a slight effort, but it isn't as bad as it could have been. I pull the door shut behind me. "You'll have to double punch the clutch, but the rest should be normal. Have you driven manual before?"

"Yes, my mom's car is probably older than this." I tease, if I knew him better I probably would have just said Renee, as I say Charlie and not dad or mom, but it was easier now not to have to explain exactly who Renee was.

"All right, shall we go?" He asked, and his deep brown eyes hold me for a moment, and I had a feeling that while he might have wanted to leave _here_, he had no desire to leave _me_.

Or at least my presence. I didn't want him to leave either, but we had to split directions as soon as I dropped him off. "It would have been nice to know somebody at school."

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll know plenty of people by the end of the day. You're the only new person to arrive in Forks in a very long time. It'll just be buzzing." My face must have not looked very cheered up by the assessment for Jacob gave me a roguish grin and winked. "I'll pop up some weekend and beat them all away with a stick for you."

I smile wryly at that, Jacob was at least a year younger than me, no doubt on his learner's permit, that's why Billy was no doubt with him, though Billy couldn't drive himself either. "Just to bring your dad up to see mine?"

"Nah, I'd like to see you again sometime too, see if you still eat mud pies and all that." Jacob's grin returned and I couldn't help but find myself smiling back at that cocky grin with one of my own.

I shook my head. "Just get out of my car." Jacob slid out of the passenger seat and held the red door in his hand, his brown eyes full of humor, so I knew he hadn't taken it the wrong way.

"Of course your highness." He closed the door with a slight click, and sauntered away.

That stupid grin on _my_ face lasted me the entire trip to the school. I got there a little early and drove around until I found the student parking lot. Then I headed in to get my schedule.

"Ah, Isabella Swan, I was wondering when you would get here!" The receptionist greeted with an over-bright smile. She sorted out all my paperwork and I had to get every slip signed by my respective teachers and bring them back at the end of the day. "I hope you have a good day Isabella." The receptionist practically bounced in her seat as she looked at me, trying to figure something out. I didn't know what, but it made me uncomfortable.

"It's Bella actually." I corrected softly, hoping that she would calm down a little.

"Of course, forgive me. Have a nice day dear." With those words, I took it as my cue to leave.

I was looking at my class schedule when a boy about my height popped up at my elbow. His dark hair was slicked back then messed up on purpose, but with his glasses, it only extended to exemplify his nerdy-quality, especially one lent to his stereo-type of nerdy Asian. It didn't surprise me to find him there, whereas in Arizona I might have had more of a step-back, but in Washington, it was a gateway to the US for Asian immigrants and a typical settlement.

"Hi!" He greeted, brushing a hand through his hair, making it even more messy. "You have to be Isabella Swan. I'm Eric Yorkie, I'm here to show you around."

I smile politely, it wouldn't _hurt_ to get a nudge in the right direction, would it? "Thank you, I'm looking for my English class."

"Ah, that'd be in building five." He pointed out the white buildings, they each had a number in the corner in black, I could see them now, after he showed me. "I'll take you there." He didn't wait for my protest and I had to follow him to my first class.

Luckily, he had to split off in a different direction and even luckier, my teacher took my slip and grunted to a seat next to a blond boy. I sank into the seat next to him, and we sort of ignored each other, he was more interested in his book. I doubt he even realized he had a neighbor.

That was the way I liked it. But soon the entire class was buzzing as it filled in and I had more people making their introductions to me, all being extremely polite and friendly. It was almost too much for me. Luckily class was soon over and I had an escort to my next class, though I hadn't remembered asking for one. Later I had gym and I had argued with the teacher about not letting me play volleyball, I just knew it was going to end badly. But in the end, he had won out and forced me to be on the side that had the most causalities possible for one of my not so rare klutz attack.

I had stiffened as a ball came towards me, bouncing off my outstretched arms and hitting a boy in the back of his head. The blond head turned towards me with a scowl that instantly disappeared at the sight of me.

"Hey, I'm Mike."

"I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

"Yeah, no harm done. You're not very good at this, are you?" He asked, his blue eyes held something else, but all I could see at the moment was friendly humor.

I shook my head. "No, I'm not." I agreed.

A girl, taller than me, and screamed cheerleader in appearance, popped up next to us, clearly scared about something, but turned that into a forced smile. "Hi, I'm Jessica, we have stats together, don't we?" I couldn't tell her one way or the other, but I was sure she was right, if she said it so I nodded silently. "You come from Arizona don't you?"

"Uh, yeah." I agreed, thinking that was probably public knowledge by then.

"Aren't people from Arizona, I don't know, usually, um, tan?"

"I guess." I hadn't really taken well to tans in my life, but I still enjoyed the sun. That was one thing I was going to miss while I was here.

"You aren't tan." She was so obvious, but I held my dry sarcasm in check, I was still new, and it was my first day here, and I had transferred in during the middle of the semester.

"Maybe that's why they kicked me out." I forced a smile to my lips, maybe I couldn't hold back _all _of my sarcasm.

The Mike boy laughed. "You're pretty funny." I only blinked in response.

Jessica cut in. "You should come eat lunch with us."

It was then that I had noticed that the gym was clearing out and we could go change back into our street clothes, I practically booked it to the room, but I held myself in place. "I would like that." Then the two of us, Jessica and I, walked to the locker room.

There was a big group at lunch, but most I had already met, Angela Weber had been in my English class as well, and we spoke a little of the reading assignments. I had a feeling the shy girl would be my most trusted companion these next two years within these halls. There was another girl, Lauren who didn't seem pleased at my presence, but was mollified into acceptance. She and I had a class together, in fact, I probably had a class with all of them except for Tyler, another boy at our table. I looked around the lunch room and noticed a table empty in the corner. There were a few other tables that were bare as well from occupancy, but they didn't draw my attention nearly as much. I ignored it for a moment, but my eyes kept drawing back to that empty table, wondering...

Mike interrupted my latest zoning session and drew my attention to the fact that it was time to go. He and I had our next class together, so we walked there together. I was informed to sit at a table away from Mike, but I was ok with that order as I had no intention of getting too close to anyone. I sank into the chair that he instructed, I was in the seat closest to the isle, and I looked to the seat next to me, and I couldn't help but feel the impact of the overwhelming sense that somebody was supposed to be sitting there with me.

I forcibly shove that thought aside, nobody was supposed to be there, nobody was supposed to be at the table in the cafeteria, and nothing was wrong with today, I was just cold, and miserable and out of it today because of the weather and the fact that I didn't want to be here.

At the end of the day, I had managed to make it through the rest of the day without any more strange phenomenons or random thoughts.

The next day, nothing happened then either, and my blaming the weather seemed more and more likely as each day the memory of the first faded. Until I forgot that I ever thought anything was off. I had been visiting Jacob often too, either I went down with Charlie to his house, or Jacob brought up Billy. And while our fathers watched their sports, we studied or talked in the kitchen. Often I ended up cooking for all four of us.

His sister I hadn't seen and he said she wasn't home very often. She hadn't been home more than once since she took off to college. I could understand his pain, though I couldn't emphasize but I did understand in a way. My mother had been sending me emails and we talked on the phone, but it wasn't the same as in person. But this was my self-exile for her and Phil. So here I would stay.

Jacob, I could tell him all this and more, every deep and dark secret in my soul, it was easy, and he in turn would share his passions and fears. All of this he accompanied with a smile and a joke. We bounced off each other with ease and kept the other from sinking into any kind of sadness, though Jacob never ventured down that path. With him it was easy, with him it was fun, and in time, I found I was falling in love with the younger boy.

I had plenty of options with the boys at school, but none held my attention like Jacob did. Jacob, my personal sunshine even when the rain fell down hard around us.

It was one of these days that he tilted my head up to look at him, he was standing quite close, and he seemed to be getting taller every day as he aged, and I wasn't. He was telling me how much he enjoyed my company, how much I meant to him.

I told him, he meant just as much to me. He beamed at that. I knew this was the path we were taking, he did too. Only he sped towards it with a ferocity that I couldn't quite match, I made efforts towards it, good efforts, but I was also content to sit there and let him come to me. His warm lips covered mine and it took me a moment to respond, but I did, and I responded just as intensely into the kiss as he gave, if not more. I was in love with Jacob Black.

And what's more, he was in love with me. My heart soured at the thought. We were happy. We were together. And as we kissed, it started to down pour. We ran into the clearing, the brush covered us from the wet and he pulled me into his warm arms and he kissed me again. We, _I,_ couldn't be happier.

And I was, for several years.


	2. Chapter 1

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Chapter One

Jacob convinced me that for me to be truly happy, I had to leave Forks after I graduated. He promised he would join me in a year, but until then, I had to return every major break and any weekend I could spare. I went to school in Seattle, only a few hours drive away. So, I spent almost every weekend back in Forks with him and Charlie. That made Charlie deliriously happy.

Renee on the other hand, couldn't understand what had gotten into me. Phil had been signed and they were moved into Jackson, FL, but when she offered to let me move back, I turned her down. I had settled, quite quickly into my way of life, and learned to enjoy the rain, as long as Jacob could protect me from the balk of if with his towering form now.

Both Jacob and I had graduated from high school, he, true to his word had joined me in Seattle for college for part of a year, but Billy's health took a slight turn for the worse, so he had to return to La Push afterwards, and I followed him back, living with Charlie while I finished up, taking online classes, after my second year of school, Jacob asked me to marry him. I agreed.

Charlie was on cloud nine for me, as his best friend's son married his daughter, who he would get to see all the time now. Renee had conceded that it was all right with her, I was old enough to make the right decisions for myself. She was happy for me, and was happy with my choice, she had liked Billy Black while she had lived in Forks and his son was better.

I smile at my memories from the last five years. I was twenty-two, married for the last two years, and I was practically bursting from the happiness of it, every day. I spent most of my time in La Push with my husband, but I also spent a lot of time in Forks itself. I had opened my own cafe near the center of Forks, it had taken a bit of convincing to lend me the loan, but Jessica's mother finally agreed, and as Bank manager, she was authorized. Though it put me in debt, and I made virtually nothing for the last year, it was not too far from the hospital if I ever accidentally stabbed myself with the knife and close to Charlie. But my clumsiness had slowly been wearing off, like my father's had before I was born. But the fear that he was going to do something stupid stayed with him, just like I was sure it was going to be in me.

I was also within walking distance to the precinct, so Charlie could come and get a bite to eat for Lunch and for dinner, he'd come down to La Push and eat with Billy, Jacob and I. Billy was better again and Jacob started taking classes at the reservation. His degree might not do him much good in the real world, but it satisfied the needs on their grounds.

I sighed as I looked out the window, content. The day's work was almost done, and the high school girl I had hired on was cleaning up most of the cafe for me. My eyes caught an unfamiliar cut of blond hair and pale skin. My hand that had been drying a plate, starting to shake as my father came out to greet the man.

I set down the plate before I broke it and went to the entrance to see if I could hear more. I had to know. He was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen before, he wasn't much older than I was, his skin was smooth and pale, and his body was dressed in clothes only rich city dwellers wore, but carried it off effortlessly.

I clenched the door-frame as I watched him and my father turn towards me with a smile. I conjured up a returning smile, somehow. It hadn't been this hard to force my positive emotions in such a long time. I don't know what was wrong with me. They started to head over when a boy anywhere from the age of fifteen to twenty got out of the shiny silver Volvo, in the driver's seat. Scratch that, he had to at least be seventeen. His tawny eyes locked onto mine and I had to hold back a gasp at the suddenly intense look in his eyes. His hands clenched and he glared at me as if I had done something terribly wrong. Then with considerable effort and strain he got back into the car and drove away.

I looked up to the approaching duo who had stopped and watched the strange behavior as well. "I'm sorry, I don't know what has gotten into him. He's usually a lot more polite."

The model of a man was saying, and I could no longer say he was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen, though the other was more of a _boy_, but my mind couldn't comprehend that fact for a moment, just that the blond man had the exact shade of molten golden eyes as the boy had.

"That's all right, seeing Bella has some side-effects." Charlie joked. "I know I had to restrain a handful of boys her age from coming inside when she first moved here."

I rolled my eyes at that, he was over exaggerating again, he and Jake both had that terrible habit when it came to my past and boys. "This is my daughter Isabella." Charlie came in and kissed the top of my head. He was getting better, this was the most either of us seemed to accept of contact between each other and I let him.

"Good evening Isabella."

"Bella." I corrected automatically, my eyes still wide with amazement. "Please, do come in, I didn't catch your name."

"Carlisle." The model told me and didn't hold out his hand to shake mine, obviously fearing my reaction to something.

I shook my head to clear it. "That was your son?" I asked in disbelief as I compared their ages.

"My adopted son." Carlisle agreed. "I adopted four others as well, with my wife Esme." I brought the two of them to a table that had been recently cleaned and I could hear the slight distress at the hour my help made in the back of her throat.

"Go ahead Lucy, I'll clean up myself." I dismissed her and she cheerfully clocked out and disappeared through the back. "What, if I can ask, are you doing here?"

"My wife tires of the big city, and we saw the opening here for a doctor, and I just transferred in. The entire family will be moving here soon." He smiled up at me and I caught a flash of sharp teeth near the back of his mouth. I repressed the shudder.

_Stupid Jake and his stories._ I whined at myself, he had been filling my head with stories about the _cold ones_ for the last five years, stories brought down from his ancestors. He didn't believe a word of it. There was no need to fear the gorgeous man in front of me. The smile dropped off a little and I felt bad for my negative reaction. "That's nice, how long do you think you'll be staying?" I ask instead.

"A few years for sure, maybe longer." Carlisle answered. "We moved in just outside of town."

"How old are your children?" I asked, really wanting to ask how old are _you? _And that _son._

"I'm Twenty-eight." Carlisle answered. "Rosalie and Emmet are nineteen, Jasper, Alice and Edward are eighteen, Edward just turned a couple of days ago."

My ears picked up at that. _Just turned, eighteen._ I nodded. "And you say you are a doctor?" I ask instead.

"Yes. I know I look rather young to be one, but I graduated high school early and then I graduated college even earlier."

"He's come with an impressive background Bells, we're very lucky to have him here." Charlie returns to the conversation. He had been eating one of my left over sandwiches and I realized how rude I was being.

"Would you like anything? I have left overs that will just be sent home with Charlie and my husband if it doesn't get eaten here, it's on the house."

"No thank you dear, I just ate. You seem awfully young to have a husband." Carlisle tilted his sun-kissed blond head.

"My husband is even younger." I teased. "We didn't marry until hewas done with school."

"Ah, then I must have misjudged your age. I thought you were twenty."

"Flatterer." I grin, my equilibrium returning to me now that my nerves had settled again. "I'm twenty-two."

"Twenty-two?" Carlisle looked closely at my face. "I would never have pegged that on you."

"And I would never have pegged you to be a doctor." I blushed at the compliment and so I returned my own observation to him.

"Touche." He agreed and turned to Charlie with a laugh. "You sure know how to raise them."

"Bella's great. You should come down to La Push with us this evening and bring your son, I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"I would, but I really should start getting to work on the house, and I should attend to Edward, maybe the move is hard on him." Carlisle stood up and smiled at Charlie and me.

"Some other time then, you should bring the entire family, I'm sure it wouldn't be too much for Bella. She creates the most wonderful dishes for Jacob."

"Not like he notices." I saw with a smile. "Jake's just been scarfing down my meals recently, never seeming to have enough."

"He's a growing boy." Charlie chuckled.

"Isn't that the truth." I laugh, remembering how last night when he joined me in bed, his feet hung over the edge more than they normally did.

"You'll have to meet him sometime Dr. Cullen." Charlie was insistent on this point and I tilted my head in wonder but Charlie only smiled at me, he'd explain later, I was sure.

Carlisle Cullen smiled in return and his smile was kind and reassuring, and he turned that smile towards me. "I would like to see the both of you again." He agreed.

"I'm sure you'll have Bella as your patient soon enough." Charlie laughed and only I understood his joke, Carlisle looked worriedly at me and I smiled in response, it really was nothing major.

Carlisle nodded and stood up. "Well then, take care of yourself Bella, I don't want to have to cure you of any dangerous diseases."

I laughed and Charlie and I followed Carlisle to the door. "Welcome to Forks, Carlisle, and please extend that to your family for me as well, though I'm sure I'll be telling them that myself soon enough." I tell him, the truth rang clearly in my words, and it was true, it would interesting to have such a handsome man as a doctor, and a gorgeous son running around. I wondered then, what the rest of the family looked like, it must have been a fluke that his adopted son was so good looking.

"Thank you both for such a warm welcome." Carlisle walked down the street, pulling out a slim black cellphone. The silver Volvo appeared again, not even five minutes later. I watched the blond man as Charlie was helping me finish cleaning and closing up. I swore I saw sharp honey-colored eyes looking through the rear view mirror, straight at me.

I swallowed hard and those eyes narrowed, I turned to the door and locked up. Mike Newton was just closing his mom's shop, he was back for the winter. He was starting grad school in Spokane. I nod towards him as Charlie rested a hand on my shoulder and bid me until the evening and Mike made his way over.

"Is that the new doctor?" His eyes glanced over me, but over the years his interest had faded, although there was always a glimmer of lust. He had a steady girlfriend, one from his school and I thought they were getting serious. She was around a lot more often than she used to be.

"Yeah it is." I agreed. Mike had taken it hard when I started dating Jacob, but now the two got along fairly well, whenever Jacob popped up to surprise me in Forks. "How's Sheila doing?"

"She's good." Mike's eyes watched the silver car zoom out of town in an instant when Carlisle got in. "How does he seem?"

"Nice. He's got some adopted kids who will be coming up with his wife." Mike nodded and looked at me again. I smiled back, his mom had given me a job while I was saving up money to go to Seattle, and for that, I could never completely cut Mike out, always having to be at my most polite, no matter how much he annoyed me or Jake, and Mike was nice enough on his own. "Well, Jake will be wondering why I've gotten home so late."

Mike nodded and I got to my old red truck, Jake had teased me about not being able to get rid of the truck as it kept coming back to his family. However to appease him, I had found two free motorcycles my senior year of high school and had him work on them since. He had managed to get them running as a surprise after my first year at college. Charlie had taken a lot of work to convince to not arrest Jacob for helping me and not fearing for my life every five minutes. Although that was after an entire summer of going behind his back to La Push and learning to ride it on the slippery slopes there.

That's why, when I turned around and saw a shiny black one sitting next to my red truck, I wasn't surprised. When I didn't find Jacob right away, I started to worry. I looked around but could not find him. Arms wrapped around my waist and too warm lips, I tensed, his lips had never been that warm before. No one else though would be doing this. I leaned back and his entire chest was very warm as well, more than I remembered it being even just this morning. "Are you all right?" I asked as his warm hands, even larger, spanned my waist, one hand covered at least half of it. I never felt so delicate as I did then, my entire waist encased in my husband's strong hands.

"Yeah, I'm just feeling a bit warm." He kissed my cheek. "Are you ok?" He asked instead, his hands tightening for a fraction of a second.

I paused before I turned around in his arms and looked at him with a frown. "I'm fine why?"

"I just heard-" He cut himself off with a smile. "I'll tell you later. I thought something else was going on. I must have been mistaken."

"Is Sam all right?" I hadn't been expecting Jacob today as one of his tribe members had suddenly gone berserk this morning and disappeared and Jacob and the rest of the 'pack' as I liked to call them, was looking for him all day. Emily had been rushed to the Quileute hospital, but that had proved to be too much for them, so was transferred here, thankfully Dr. Cullen, renowned for his abilities was here as well. I had popped over earlier, but Dr. Cullen was no where to be found. Of course I had just met him, but Emily seemed to be doing better. Carlisle had managed to close up all of her scratches on her face and I doubted she'd have much of a scar, just some of the deeper ones would be a faint darkening in color.

"I don't know. He's gone." Jacob's voice sounded strained. Now more then ever I was angry with Billy for unloading chiefdom at Jacob's feet at this moment in time. Billy had replied, that he had almost been required to the moment Jacob married.

"He'll be back." I promised, it was a little rotten of a thing that Sam did to Leah when he had seen Emily he completely forgot about her and now Emily was in the hospital because of him. I held no ill will towards Sam though, Jacob had explained to me that Sam couldn't help it, it had been love at first sight, like he had fallen for me.

"Have you met her doctor?" Jacob asked, pulling me closer.

"I have. He's nice enough, seems as if he really cares about his patients."

Jacob's lips pursed but he nodded. "I just saw her, he did a really good job."

"Jake..." I reach my hand up and smooth the tension away from his lips. He smiled at the action and I felt it against my fingers. This was one of the first times I'd ever seen him take something with less than dry amusement or happy humor.

He took my hand and kissed the fingers before wrapping that giant hand around the back of my head, all the while, I felt like if I hadn't trusted him as much as I did, he could easily crush it within his grasp. He closed our distance and I returned the kiss eagerly. Each finger on my nape could be felt individually.

He pulled away eventually and loaded his bike into the back of my truck. I watched his tan skin move over his arms, he was wearing only a t-shirt and cut off shorts. I frown at him. "Aren't you cold? Are you sure you are ok?" I was worried about Jake, he started wearing less and less clothing and the weather kept getting colder.

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's just get home." He dragged me up against him and after another kiss, pulled me into the truck, allowing me to drive back.

When we got to La Push, he was sweating and didn't look so great. Billy took one look at him and got out of the way as Jacob managed to stumble over the steps and into our bedroom. A normal girl would have thought it weird to be living with her father-in-law, but the man needed Jacob and if my father had been in the same situation, then we might have been living there as well. "Bells, please." Jacob says to me and I lean over him in concern.

"What is it?" I ask, desperate to try and help him. "We should have taken you to the hospital."

His hands were burning as he took my face into his hands. "Please Bella, don't argue with me."

"Why would I unless you give me a reason to?" I respond, pulling back and looking at him squarely in the face.

His smile returned to his face and I almost melted at the look. "Please Bella, just go to Charlie's and stay the night there, please?"

_My_ lips pursed at the thought and I wanted to know _why._ Billy cleared his throat behind me and I turned my head to see him in his wheel chair. "It's probably better if you listen to him." He reassured, his eyes bright with intrigue.

I scowl at my father-in-law, he was finding _pleasure_ in the pain and temperature changes my husband was going through. "No, I'm going to be right here for Jake, I'm going to help see him through."

Jacob shook his head fretfully. "Bells, just listen to me, all right? I'll tell you what's going on later." I highly doubted it, Jacob had never kept anything from me before, _never_, but even Embry and Quil were being kept in the dark of what happened to Sam, and all I knew from Emily was that the same thing was happening to Jake.

"Do you promise?" I looked him directly in the face and he sighed. I knew I'd won, there wasn't a promise he'd made that he dared break.

"I do. Take care of yourself though, Forks should be safe, but I still don't trust them." Jacob suddenly looked fearful for _my_ safety, and I pressed a kiss to his forehead to calm him.

"I'll be fine, I'll go stay with Charlie, but remember your promise." I tried to pull away but he crushed me to him and gave me an intense kiss. I returned it, this would be the first night we'd spent apart since we got married. He had gone with me when I visited Renee and Renee had stayed with Charlie when she and Phil came up here. I pulled away and turned to Billy. "You sure he's ok? It's a fever or something right?"

"Yeah, something." Billy agreed and I narrowed my eyes at the vagueness. "He'll be fine, don't worry." Billy grunted in acknowledgement. I leaned down and hugged him, and he returned it full force.

"Don't worry Bella." Jacob said from the bed, trying to sit up.

"Sure, sure." I agreed, we both knew I'd worry anyways. "Get better. I'm only leaving because you both seem so sure that it's better this way." I saw them exchange a glance, and wondered it was for _me_ that they were sending me away, I was about to argue that part, but Billy had managed to get me outside and he shut the door in my face. They couldn't keep me out of my house for long though, and I'd return tomorrow. I still had some clothes at my father's so I got in my truck just as it started to rain.


	3. Chapter 2

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Chapter Two

Charlie knocked on my door, I had forgotten how early he got up. I used to get up before he did, but Jacob had relaxed some of my habits. As well as some of my too old for my age personality had broken apart in some areas and now my playful side showed full force, especially with Jacob.

It was easy being with Jacob. We were perfectly matched.

I pulled my ratty t-shirt over my head, I was surprised that it was holding together so well. It was ancient. It settled at my waist above my shorts. I opened the door to see Charlie's concerned face at the door. "Is something wrong between you and Jake?" He asked, a tad pained.

"No, he wasn't feeling well last night and they both sent me away. I think it's something they get, and they didn't want to infect me with it." I lied, though Charlie usually bought my lies, I was not a very capable one. Everyone always knew I was lying. This time wasn't much different, Charlie bought my lie and nodded. "Well, I made some eggs, if you want any."

I agreed and followed him down the stairs. I sat at the kitchen table that I had poured hours over countless times the two years I lived here, working on homework, which I had already done in Arizona, and filling out applications for college. There were good times here, with both Jacob and Charlie.

Charlie fed me a plate of eggs and I picked at them, suddenly not so hungry. I put a forkful into my mouth. I swallowed it and smiled when Charlie looked at me and gave him a thumbs up. It wasn't the best thing I've ever eaten, but he tried. "Do you want me to drive you to work or will you be taking that truck?" Charlie's eyes looked at my truck out the window, it had only gotten worse, and now I had trouble starting it sometimes, but Jacob kept it from completely dying on me, I hadn't wanted a new car. And now, Charlie too was pushing me towards something at least newer, especially after seeing that 'fine' car yesterday, he wanted to get his head into the hood of one.

I watch as his dark brown hair, similar to mine shake with a wry smile. I hadn't answered him, but he wasn't expecting one. "Going to see Emily? I should go with you."

"No, it's fine, I want to see how she's doing and if I see Carlisle, I'll tell him you say hi." I tease Charlie as I head back upstairs, and he went out and got into his cruiser, and spent the rest of the day at his desk filling out papers.

I changed and slipped into my parka and headed out into the sleet. Yesterday it was rain, today it was sleet. I groaned, if it hadn't been for the cold, and the snow season, I was perfectly happy because in the summer the sun shone hot and it was nice to go to the beach at La Push.

I left the parka in the nurse's lounge, and walked around the corner. I caught sight of Carlisle and was about to make my hellos, when I noticed him in a complicated conversation with his son. I felt bad, but I couldn't help but overhear them.

"You don't have to leave. Esme's just getting in today. You'll have your family, it'll be better, I promise."

Edward's scowl was visible from this distance. "It's not like that. I can still smell her, it's dangerous for her to have me around."

"I'd understand, but if you leave now, then you'd have ruined your ability to be here, because we haven't even set up a pattern of going and coming back yet that would be acceptable to explain your behavior." Carlisle responded.

I wonder what they're talking about. Why would any of this matter?

"Look, Rosalie and Emmett are a year older, what are they supposed to do? Sit around all day? Is that it? Why did we move here anyways? If we had started younger, it would make sense-"

"But then Rosalie would have to suffer through high school again, and you know how _that_ irritates her." Carlisle responded. "If you really want to go to Denali, that's fine, but it'd be a few years before we could really see you again."

"God Carlisle, her scent is so strong!" The boy moaned into his hands and I felt sorry for him. "I can still remember it burning my nose like it's still here."

This conversation made no sense whatsoever and I wondered at the true meaning behind it. It took a turn for the crazies even more so as Carlisle spoke again. "No, I can smell her too, it's not in your head son. Quit breathing."

The last was said on a whisper, but I still heard it. They turned to me then and I smiled apologetically. "I was just coming to see Emily."

Carlisle nodded, a smile blooming on his features, and the boy's hand shot out and gripped Carlisle's arm. Carlisle looked back at him and smiled at his son and Edward slowly released his grip. Carlisle passed me and nodded. "Emily will be able to be released later this afternoon. If you want, I can release her into your care until her family arrives."

"Thank you Dr. Cullen, that would be a very good idea."

"Of course." Carlisle nodded and walked away.

I stood awkwardly in front of the younger boy. He wasn't terribly younger, and he seemed wiser and older than his age, and I was hit yet again with the feeling that he was closer to twenty, if not older, than the eighteen he was now. He seemed to be trying not to breath, that he was holding himself with every possible effort not to do _something._ "Hi, I'm Isabella Black." I greeted, holding my hand out. He only looked at my hand as if it was something dangerous and turned away slightly. "You're Edward Cullen, aren't you? Your father has told me about you and your family."

Edward snorted and I caught his mouth moving, but couldn't catch what he said. He took a deep breath and turned to me. "Yes, I am. I thought your name was Bella Swan?"

"Why would you think that?" I asked, I hadn't gone by Swan for a few years, but maybe somebody had pointed me out saying Swan by accident.

"You are Chief Swan's daughter, aren't you?" He turned again for another breath. I wondered if I smelt. "And don't you go by Bella? I swore-"

"No, no, I do, but I thought- never mind. Yes, Charlie's my father. But I don't have his last name."

"Your mother's maiden name then?"

I smiled despite myself, and his frown deepened and he looked at me as if trying to figure something out. "It's not." I replied evenly. "Nor has she remarried and her new husband adopted me."

"Then Chief Swan adopted you?" Edward's eyes were the same color, if not a barest hint darker than Carlisle's- I thought he was adopted. Though those eyes too had seemed darker today than they had yesterday.

"No. I've married." I decided to give him a break, he looked as if he was in pain. "Do you need me to get your father-"

"No." He shook his head and the copper colored strands danced in the hall light. "Why would you think that?"

"You look like you're trying to hold back the pain. I thought maybe your father could help you." I smiled reassuringly, he was only four years younger than me, two younger than Jacob, and he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my life.

"What are you thinking?" He asked suddenly and I shrugged.

"You don't want to know." I responded quickly, I didn't think he would appreciate me calling him beautiful.

He frowned at that and then turned away completely in a stiff motion. "I'll see you around." He responded and that I doubted, not after the conversation he had with his father, and sure enough, he turned down a corridor, and then he was gone. I frowned but turned the other way, to see Emily. I walked in and she was awake, there were bandages on her face, but they were less than they were the day before. I still winced at the sight. Yesterday, I had watched them change the dressing, so I knew underneath it wasn't as bad as one would think by this sight alone.

She smiled painfully at me, it still hurt, I imagine, just because the flesh was mending, the pain remained. I sank into the chair next to her and held her hand. "What happened, Ems? How did you get these scars?" She was a little out of it the day before, and hadn't said much.

She smiled sadly at me. "He lost control. He's been fighting with it for a year now, I had said something that pushed him over the edge of his bad day."

"He hit you with something? I've never seen marks like that before."

She shook her head. "No, he didn't hit me with anything. It was a mistake."

"That's what all battered women say." Charlie gave me an apologetic smile as he moved the curtain aside and sank into the seat opposite of me. "Dr. Cullen called and told me you were conscious."

"It's not like that chief, I can't explain it to you." Her large dark eyes in her tan face implored Charlie to understand, understand what she couldn't say out loud. My father sighed and nodded.

"But if this happens again, I'm bringing him in." My dad rested a warm hand on her shoulder before nodding at me. "See you for lunch. Will you be joining us Emily?"

"I hadn't a chance to tell her yet that she'll be released under my supervision." I respond for her.

"Oh, then yes, I will be." Emily smiled at my father and he nodded, heading out. He still no doubt thought that Sam had become just like the men a small town like this dealt with infrequently, but frequently enough to cause a scar to go across the cop's mind and jump to that conclusion first, whenever a wife was in the hospital and the husband was nowhere to be found.

I turn back to Emily when he was gone. She sighed and nodded for me to ask my question. "What really happened?"

"I don't think you would believe me." She smiled sadly and the smile disappeared into the white gauze. "You said the same symptoms are happening to Jacob? Then stay away for awhile, stay with Charlie, Jake will call you when he's ready for you to come back. I pushed Sam too hard, fought my way in and as the first, he had reacted badly. Let Jake get Sam back, and then the two of you will be fine again. I don't want this to happen to your beautiful face Bella." She reached out a hand and touched my nose.

I grinned, and tapped hers. I still didn't understand where these people got 'beautiful and me' from but I learned to stop arguing with it. "Your face will still be beautiful Emily, Dr. Cullen has done an amazing job on the stitching and plastic surgery aspect. Sam won't be able to stay mad at himself for long."

We both knew he would though, he'd shoulder that blame unnecessarily and he would _never_ forgive himself. That's why I believed her when she said he hadn't meant it, and it would never happen again, because that was just the type of person he was.

"I'll be back around noon, to get you checked out, and you'll have to come and eat one of my sandwiches for lunch." Though I sold more than that, the sandwiches had been a particular hit with the town. I had a steady stream of business, and despite my loans and debt being paid off, it had a steady flow of business and revenue. I used that money to pay off the loans. Jacob and I hadn't a lot of money, but our overhead was cut considering we lived with his father, whose house was paid off. Just the town wasn't that rich either, so our money recycled back into it. There wasn't much money could buy here anyways.

I did put aside a little money though to buy Jake a new car, I'd inherent his rabbit after my truck died, I didn't want or need a fancy car, but it would make both Jake and my father happy to have something newer than the rest of the town's cars and give Jake something new to fiddle with. The pile for that fund though was in short supply, I think I saved about a hundred dollars in the last year. The rest of our money went towards other bills. Jake wasn't making much money either, but it didn't matter to us, we were both ridiculously happy.

That was, until a few days ago, when I was shoved ungracefully out of our house by his father.

I walked away from Emily to make a phone call. I leaned against the wall as my call connected and Billy's gruff voice answered, I'd never heard it sound so tense. "Hello?"

"Billy, how's Jacob doing? Can I come home now?" He was like a second father to me, most days. Charlie had accepted Jacob without a thought, never even considering that Jacob and I could be up to 'funny business' but Billy had welcomed me with open arms, and a cautious gaze. I wondered if there was more that the old man knew that he didn't tell anyone else.

"Hold on Bells. Let me see if he can talk."

I waited on baited breath a moment before Jacob came onto the line. "Bell?" He asked, he sounded worried, but he didn't sound sick any more.

I straightened away from the white wall of the hospital hallway and clutched the phone tight in my pale hand. "Jacob? Are you still feeling sick?"

"I-" He hated lying to me, he could never do it before. "I'm not feeling sick anymore Bells, but please, please, please, stay away for a little while longer?"

It ended in a question. I hated being away from him, the sky seemed darker, the rain, heavier, the cold, more intense. It was like that when I went down to Seattle for school, even though cloud coverage was just slightly less thick, it felt worse, away from Jacob's easy smiles and open personality.

"How much longer?" I ask, not wanting to know the answer, but having to know it too. I would count down the minutes until I could see his brown face between my alabaster hands.

"A week, or two." He tacked on. "Let me call you."

"Please don't shut me out."

"I won't." He promised. "I'll call you tomorrow morning, and evening before you go to bed. I'll do it every day."

"Thank you, Jake." I could breath a little easier, knowing that there was a reason behind his behavior, but he wasn't going to let it come between us.

"I love you, Bella." He sounded so far away.

"I love you too Jacob." I responded instantly, the words automatic, but it didn't make it any less true or the intent any less significant.

He hung up the phone then, not saying anything else, and I held onto the black receiver in a hand that suddenly couldn't move. I _hated_ this. I had watched Sam go through similar changes last year. I knew what I was seeing, even though I hadn't told Emily it. He had pulled me out of danger when Jake, Embry, Quil, Sam and I were hiking. Jacob, Embry and Quil had ran ahead, their enthusiasm couldn't be contained, and I was weary of my own fallible feet.

Jacob's own feet made him awkward like me, but when he ran- he was almost graceful. The only time he seemed in his element was when he was tinkering with the car parts in his garage. He and the other two were running, and Sam hadn't been feeling too hot. Well, he was feeling too hot, which was the problem. So we had slowed and lagged behind, quite a distance when I managed to stumble against flat ground and fell into the large water pool that had been acting up recently. If Sam hadn't acted as quickly as he had, the water would have pulled me under and taken me through the hole almost as large in circumference as I was tall, but it wouldn't have guaranteed that I wouldn't hit my head and drown instantly from the speed.

I had never seen anyone react so quickly, but when Sam pulled me out, I was coughing up water for an hour, but he held me as I shivered against the cold spring air. Where his body touched mine, I was unseasonably hot, and I had wondered not much earlier that day, about his choice in clothing. His heat practically radiated off of his body, calming my shivers. He held me though Jacob had attempted to pull me away and hold me himself, but Sam insisted that I would be better off with him. Jacob had only pulled a blanket around me and kissed me in reasurrance.

I remembered his words. "It would have been me if it wasn't you." He teased and I had pulled myself out of Sam's arms and kissed Jacob as passionately as I could. He always knew the right thing to stop my embarrassment, but he also knew exactly what to say to start it too.

The smile must have been on my face as well, I could feel it, but I wasn't expecting to have company to share in my memory. "I don't see what the big deal is." A smooth, feminine voice floated over my ears, though it had an edge to it, one saying I wasn't welcomed.

"Rosalie-" This voice sounded like tinkling bells and I turned my head. More Cullens? "Be nice." I watched as a black haired girl came up to me, followed slowly by a blond. "Hi! I'm Alice!" She threw her arms around my neck.

I had never been greeted with such exuberant display of affection when I first met somebody. She looked to be around the same age as Edward, though to me, she looked younger, and _felt_ younger. "Hi." I greeted back, my tone not quite sarcastic, as I hadn't meant it that way, but unsure.

"You do smell nice!" She pulled away and her pixie black locks framed her pale face. Her eyes were the brightest gold I had ever seen. She felt a little cool through my sweatshirt, and I worried about her, despite just meeting her.

"Did you just come in?"

I had meant from the cold, but she was staring at me with an odd expression about her features, peering at me with an intensity not dissimilar to her brother's. "Oh, yeah, we just got in from Seattle not to long ago. We wanted to see the hospital where dad works."

"So your entire family is here now?"

I watched as the dark haired beauty turned to look at the blond she was standing with, and my breath caught. I had never seen a more gorgeous girl in the world. I had thought Edward beautiful, but _she_ was amazing. She blew every model, actress and goddess I had ever seen on television and in person out of the water. Though to be fair, I hadn't seen many, but she beat any imagination I could have of anyone having more perfect features.

"Rosalie, don't be that way." Alice sighed and turned back to me. "I'm sorry- that's my sister Rosalie. She'll introduce herself sometime to you properly, I think." I received a huge smile from that comment and the girl practically bounced on her toes, but I didn't see her move. She must have just been filled with that energy.

"I'm glad the Cullen family has joined us here in Forks." I said instead of what I wanted to, I didn't state my obvious wow factor towards the perfect people in front of me. I had thought it was a fluke that Edward looked so much like his 'father' but it turned out, they all were like that. They were all, also, very weird.

"We are glad to be here too." Alice smiled again at me, and I hesitantly returned it.

"What will you be doing here Rose? Or are you only here to help your family settle in? Are you going to school in Seattle?"

She frowned in response. "Canada, actually." Alice answered for her. "There's a school not too far away, north of here. It'll be a hassle with visa and passport regulations every weekend, but she and Emmett will be around."

I nodded, I didn't know what else to say to these two girls, they left me flabbergasted and not a little out of place when attempting to compare myself to them. If anyone would walk around the corner and see us, they would wonder why at least one of them was giving me the time of day.

I was wondering that myself, but I didn't voice my question. Instead I kept it to myself, and smiled at the two of them as I slowly backed away. "If you would give my hellos to your father and Edward. I would love to meet the rest of your family sometime."

"I'm sure she would." Rosalie muttered to herself and I shot her a look. Maybe she wasn't so perfect after all. I turned and practically fled down the hall, back to Emily.

Emily was getting helped into her wheelchair by a nurse as I entered the doors. Emily's kind brown eyes looked up to me in concern. "Are you all right, Bella?" She asked at my flushed cheeks.

"No, I'm fine, I just got a little unnerved is all." I responded and smiled at the nurse as she walked past me, to grab the paper work no doubt for me to sign.

Emily accepted my answer and she peered at me with slight disapproval. "You called Jacob."

It wasn't a question, and I didn't answer, I just stood behind her and put my hands on the chair's handles. I moved her towards the door as the nurse opened it from the other end.

"The paperwork is almost complete, it just needs your signature, it's down at the nurse's station." I nodded and thanked the woman and then Emily and I exited the hospital once it was completed.


	4. Chapter 3

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Chapter Three

I stared at Emily across the cafe. She hadn't taken her eyes off of the shiny volvo parked out front, Carlisle's eldest son was sitting at my bar table, having ordered, but not touched his coffee, pie or sandwich. I had asked him repeatedly if something was wrong with it, but he only laughed at me and waved me away.

I looked at his dark haired head as it was bowed over the food, looking at it with wonder. His name was Emmett, I learned. I wondered at the sudden appearance of the Cullen family, doing in _my_ life. The rest of the patrons had mentioned they'd been kind of illusive, sticking to themselves. I shook my head to clear the thoughts.

Emmett had been cracking jokes for me all afternoon. If he hadn't been such a relief after the rest of his family, save Carlisle, I might have kicked him out long ago. Instead he was trying to do good by the chief's daughter. "Trying to stay out of trouble?" I asked.

"Why?" He wondered, his dark molten gold eyes twinkling with inner mirth.

"Schmoozing up to the chief's daughter won't do you much good if you're going to go on a rampage and kill everyone."

He had frozen at the words but realized I was making a joke, making me wonder, if he _was_ a delinquent at his former school. "Ah no, nothing so bad, I'm sure. But it doesn't hurt to have a friend with the cop's ear if a few mailboxes gets backed into." He winked at me and I laughed and agreed.

Tyler had taken out a few my junior year of high school when he hit a particularly icy road patch. I had missed it as I had given Jacob a ride back to the reservation that morning. He had stayed the night, sleeping on the couch, as I had fallen asleep on _him_ while we were watching a movie with Charlie. I had somehow ended up in my bed, and when I had come down, his legs had been draped over the couch, too long to lay as comfortably as I had. I told him, the next time that happened, and he wasn't too tired, he could take my car home, or he could crash in my bed, leaving me on the couch. He patted my head and kissed my cheek before hopping out of the car.

Charlie hadn't minded, nor had he been suspicious. He had slept the entire night through, soundly. I wonder if that was because he knew how good of a soul, truly, Jake was. The thoughts of my husband must have been apparent on my face, because Emmett made a crude joke about imagining myself getting some.

The blush that stained my cheeks caused a huge grin to split his and I was taken aback by the force of it. It died a little at my reaction, but then calmed slightly into a less scary one. Chuckles pealed off of my hulking guest though as he looked at the red still lingering across my cheekbones.

I stepped out from behind the bar and sat down next to Emily. "What's wrong?" I asked her, taking her hand in mine.

"It's nothing, I know how much you seem to be enjoying him, but-" She tore her eyes away from his ride and towards the boy himself. "I can't help but be cautious about him." She gestured towards the window, and I scrunched my eyes up, to see if I could understand. There was a figure behind the wheel, hands on it, face, staring straight at me. It was Edward, I knew it, I wasn't sure how I was so confident in my thoughts, but it had to be him, my gut was telling me it was.

"How long has he been sitting in the car?" I asked instead.

"Since the big guy has been sitting here." She responded with a hint of strain in her voice.

"I'll take care of it." I stood up and walked towards the door. Emmett's large hand wrapped around my arm, I hadn't seen him move, and I was surprised at the slight chill I got from him through my long-sleeved shirt. I looked up at his face and he smiled apologetically.

"Sorry Bella. He's waiting for me. I told him it was stupid to wait there the entire time for me, that people might get suspicious, but he said he had enough music in the car to keep him occupied." Emmett spared me another of those disarming grins and I backed away from the door.

"Why didn't he come in?"

"He-" Emmett paused to consider his answer. "He's not a fan of the smell in these places."

My lips tightened at the reference, he was politely saying, or as politely as _he_ could say, that _I _smelt. I nodded stiffly. "I see." I turned and he let me go instantly. I returned back to the bar to see if anyone needed anything else and sitting at Emmett's plate was too much money, and half a sandwich. I hadn't seen him eat any of it all afternoon, and in an instant, he had eaten half of it? I frowned as I took the money and cleared away his place. At least one of them, wasn't rude.

I return to Emily and sank down into the seat in a huff. "What is it?" She asked, her body language lighter now that the silver Volvo was gone.

"Do I smell?" I asked finally, put out.

She took a deep sniff and then started coughing. "Yes." She answered roughly. I stared at her in shock and she started laughing. "You smell beautiful Bella, you always do. Like lavender. Why?"

"I've been told I smelled good, but then again, I've also caught in reference, that I smell so bad that someone shouldn't breath near me." I shook my head, and reminded myself, save Emmett, that entire family was off. His eyes looked half-way normal at least, well, no, they all looked half-way normal, but his was the only color that looked like it wasn't contacts to make the whole family seem falsely close.

I had no place to judge though, I didn't know if they were close or not, or if they were contacts. I just knew all had a hint of gold or amber, depending on the shade, and Edward's had changed colors from the first time I had seem him to this morning.

"You have any idea how long you're in exile for?" Emily asked, diverting me from my frustrations at the moment to my longer lasting one.

"A couple of weeks, why?"

"I was curious if you wouldn't mind staying some of those nights with me? I've been kind of lonely in the hospital since Sam disappeared, and I fear that it'll be worse when I'm completely alone."

"Of course, I can stay tonight if you wanted."

"No, no, I want to see how bad it is first. I'll call you for tomorrow night if it's too hard." Emily hesitated before saying what she wanted to say. "Only a couple of weeks?" She asked. I nodded. "Sam's took a couple of months. You're lucky, if it's true."

"Yeah." I agreed although this time, the sarcasm was meant. Then it was my turn to stare out the window in wonder. Billy had abandoned his post with Jacob? I stared at the man in the wheelchair across the street with my father. Charlie was helping him get back into the cruiser, but Billy's eyes were on me, reflective. I wondered what he was thinking. "What do you think this means?" I ask, nodding towards where Billy and Charlie were, it was the precinct.

Emily shrugged her rounded shoulders. She almost seemed like a mother to me, though she never had any children of her own. The boys at the reservation all looked up to her and obeyed her. I wondered if there was a reason for that. She was very beautiful too, despite her white patches on her face. Several of the towns people had come up to her and commented on it, though to them it probably sounded like apologies and get wells. I thought of it as more of a fishing expedition to wonder about what was going on down in Quileute.

Not that the area was off limits, but like any Indian reservation and the pale faces, they stayed their distances unless the pale faces wanted to get onto a good beach. That was also why I was working here, it was nice being near Charlie, but there were some rules that I couldn't cross, even though I was married to the Chief of the Quileute. One of which was working on the reservation. My children could in the future if we ever had any, and they'd also get the benefits of being half Native American. I was allowed to live there as long as I was married to one of them, and if he were to die, I would be granted an allowance to that rule. But there weren't rules about visiting, as Charlie had demonstrated time and time again, as the two of them went fishing.

Charlie came back for his usual time to sit with me as Lucy picked up the back. It was evening as I sank into the chair. Emily was still there, so we had a third today. "Dad, are you going fishing with Billy tomorrow?" I'd ask him when we were alone why he and Billy were here and not with Jacob.

"No, he's got to stay with Jacob."

"Why was he here today?" I asked instead.

Charlie looked at me a moment, debating what to say, but instead, he hedged around it. "Oh, you saw that, did you?"

"Yes, and he looked at me like I did something wrong."

"He was just wondering about the Cullens." Here, Charlie frowned. "He warned me to watch out for them."

"Why?" I asked confused, what did the Cullens have to do with anything?

"He didn't say, couldn't, he said, but for you, and me, and the rest of us to keep our distance from them. Already there are boys down on the reservation who are spreading rumors about them. I met some of them, they were all very polite, and don't seem the types to cause trouble."

"Even Emmett seems too good natured to cause much headache for you." I agreed, but Emily's face had a look of disagreement upon it. "_What?"_ I asked her.

"I've grown up with the stories Bella, and I know a bit more about what's going on than you do." She told me, but she still looked slightly apologetic. "I'm sorry if you disagree, but it's my opinion until I can be proven otherwise."

I recalled the stories of the Quileute tribe, and I concentrated hard on what Jacob had told me before becoming chief, when he still thought it all superstition and silly. He said that his family was decedents from wolves and that they had sparked an agreement with the bloodsuckers. They would not hunt on the Quileute land as long as the Quileute didn't tell the pale faces about them. I tried to recall more, but that was it, only the fact that these bloodsuckers were different than other ones stuck out in my mind.

I snorted at the direction of my thoughts and Charlie's brown eyes mimicked the confusion in Emily's as both stared at me. "You can't tell me you really believe that's what's going on here, can you?" The flattening of Emily's lips told me more than anything she could have said and as I looked at the white bandages covering her face, I wondered if there was _some_ truth to it after all. But Emmett, Alice, and Carlisle being bloodsuckers? Rosalie, I could believe, maybe even Edward, but the others it didn't seem as likely, they were too warm in their greetings to be minions of the underworld. I only shook my head at her, we would talk more about that later.

I know there was a lot I had to ask about later, but neither side, while close to one another, wouldn't want to talk to me in front of the other when both sides were delicate and could get others in trouble. But if it was just me, they wouldn't hesitate to explain.

I leaned against my chair, looking at my two companions, my employee came up to my shoulder and asked with only a slight attitude in her tone, if she could go home. I waved her away, she was done, and this was becoming a pattern, it seemed.

"Is someone coming up to get you?" Charlie asked Emily, breaking the new silence brought on by my questioning and the woman's dark brown eyes looked upon my father a moment before nodding. Her gaze turned to me, and she spoke slowly. "Leah is coming up."

I nodded, I knew why she would hesitate before telling me that. Other than the fact that Leah was Emily's cousin, and was overthrown for Emily as well, Leah and I never got along perfectly well. I kept trying to be nice, but the girl who was only a year older than me, had an attitude on her that wouldn't quit. She had been mad at the world since her father died, and couldn't find an outlet to get it all out. But recently, she had been acting as distant as Sam and some of the other boys were. I hoped that when this was all over, she and I would be closer.

Charlie's eyes lit up, he and her mother were getting closer every day since her dad died. I knew something was going on between them even before the death, but besides Billy, her father was his closest and best friend. "How is Sarah and Leah doing?" The Clearwater girls might not care for me so much, but Seth was always in my face, asking questions, and begging to come with me to Forks. With new people here, I bet that the questioning and stowing away in my truck would double. I didn't mind, his eagerness was refreshing and it made me smile.

"Good." Emily responded with a smile. "Leah's finally accepted my apology."

I raised an eyebrow at that, Sam had chosen Emily over Leah, not the other way around, though I did understand Leah's feelings. Emily was flesh and blood and should have known better. Emily took it the way I hoped, and she nodded with a beam across her features, glad that Leah was finally getting over her old grudges.

"Well, I better start closing up, wouldn't want any strangers crawling in here looking for a bite, now would we?" I asked, teasing Emily and she looked at little stricken at the joke. I smiled, hoping it would ease the tension and she finally relaxed a little. Charlie got to his feet and helped me put things away. I took a bag of sandwiches and handed them to Emily. "For Leah and Sarah. And Billy and Jacob if you see them before me, because you apparently know more about what's going on than I do." Emily looked at me apologetically but took the sandwiches anyways. I could hear Leah's rusted car drive up the street, it was coming slowly, as if not familiar with these streets and it probably was true. Sarah got out and I realized that Sarah probably hadn't been in Forks since she was around my age, coming up to Charlie's house was different than the rest of Forks.

She came in and hugged Emily. "Thank you, Bella, for looking after my niece." I shrugged, but I had a smile and she hugged me before towing Emily out in her wheelchair. Sarah waved at Charlie almost shyly.

"Bye Bella, Charlie, thanks for everything!" Emily called to us and we waved back.

"I don't want to see you in a wheelchair next time I see you!" I called back. "We only need one wheelchair in our family, and Billy's already got the drop on you!"

I heard two sets of laughter from outside and one behind me before a hand dropped on my shoulder. Charlie and I watched as they drove off. "This is all awfully big of you, Bella. I couldn't be prouder of you." He said then he looked down at me. "Please don't let their silly superstitions allow you to treat the Cullens any differently."

"Don't worry, dad, I'll treat them how they deserve to be treated, based on their treatment of _me." _I responded and finished up. I drove back with Charlie in his cruiser and spent another night with him at his house. I looked at my puny wardrobe before I went to bed and realized I would have to get some clothes from home if I was going to be spending more than a few days here. But I would wear out what I had before I attempted to breach the strong hold that Billy no doubt had over our house.

EAN: Sorry, I hadn't realized I pasted this twice when I previously loaded it, not its fixed, THANKS!


	5. Chapter 4

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Chapter Four

AN: Since I've been begged... I apologize for any major plot snags or grammar mistakes I couldn't fix. However, as your reading this, please keep in mind, I have every intention of going back to this story, and this chapter especially to fix it, and make it better. So if I update the next chapter when it is finished as well, please reread this one before moving on, as I most likely will have changed it. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter or the next few... So bare with me, this will probably be changed once I finish, but I like feedback, to reevaluate my own thoughts...

It was a few days later, and I had the unexpected and unfortunate run-in with the boy that hated me and thought I smelt so much he wanted to go live with 'relatives' to get away from my stench. "Alice-" He growled to his sister as they walked down the street towards the furniture store. He couldn't find parking anywhere near, and my truck was still sitting in front of my cafe, as it had been for the last few days. I had been heading to the store next to it, to get something for Jacob I had forgotten he wanted until now.

Alice's head picked up and turned to me. "I'm sorry- I hadn't seen her- until a moment ago. She's hazy, still." I felt like there was more going on in that conversation as Edward' copper head tilted fractionally in acknowledgment to something she hadn't said. "And she smells good enough to eat." The gold in Alice's eyes were twinkling as she teased her brother.

"Aren't the two of you supposed to be in school, right now?" I asked, it was undoubtedly the first week of classes, which is why Lucy, my only help was not working and I had to close up the cafe for a few minutes.

"Sometimes it's good to skip." Edward responded after a moment. The three of us were alone on the street but Edward appeared to be listening to something, or trying to listen. I tried to focus, but I couldn't hear anything.

"Why's that?" I asked instead of what I really wanted to, which might have been a rude question.

"They're doing a blood lab in class." Alice answered before Edward could script his lines, and I could tell right away, he was editing his words, like I was for their benefit. I needn't do that for Jacob, he took everything I said at face-value and nothing got under his skin. Other people, Charlie especially, I carefully cultivated my words to leave out embarrassment and discomfort and to get myself off the hook. Like with the bike, I smiled at the memory, then the words that Alice said filtered into my head and the smile turned to a grimace.

"Good point, I wish I had been smart enough my junior year to skip that particular lecture."

"You fainted when somebody pricked your finger?" Edward seemed pleased, as if he had finally nailed an elusive mystery and gotten a correct answer.

I hated to burst his bubble, as he smiled a crooked grin in my direction, but it was only a fleeting regret as I remembered that he thought I smelt, apparently like I was food he disagreed with, like my cafe. "No." I answered, and I became somewhat sheepish. "It was when somebody pricked Mike's finger. I almost fainted, the smell doesn't sit well in my stomach."

"You can't smell blood." Edward frowned at me, his eyes reappraising me as if what I said a lie or if _I _was what I said I was.

"It smells like salt and rust." I responded automatically, Jacob had laughed at me for a good week once he was sure I was ok, but he wanted to know why just the smell of it would send my stomach rolling. Especially because I saw my own blood quite often as it was.

They both had a questioning gaze upon my face, as if trying again to solve a complex puzzle. I smiled a little tensely at the look. "I have to get going, my customers will be tearing down my door if I am gone for too long."

I slipped around them, and they went back to talking to one-another. "You really can't see her?"

"She's faint, I see glimpses, but that's it. She's getting harder to see every day."

"Isn't it the other way usually?"

"It is." Alice agreed. I could feel her eyes on me or was it his? "But something more has to be going on. You still can't hear her?"

"No. Not even a whisper."

That was all I heard as I entered the store and picked up the gadget Jacob had set his sights on earlier that week. He had been keeping his promise to me, I had almost caused Charlie to be late to work today as I was on the phone with Jacob for longer than usual and as Charlie was my ride, I couldn't very well let him go without me.

I had bid Jacob a very hasty goodbye and I promised him, we'd pick up from there later tonight. Tonight, I'd take my car back to Charlie's for the day and then tomorrow I'd head down to La Push and push my way back in if I had to.

It had been a week and I was missing him dreadfully. I also needed to go down and confront Emily, her silly stories about Cold Ones and Wolves were running rampant in my head and I was having nightmares that never ended and kept replaying.

I was told that the gadget wasn't going to be in for awhile and it threw my plans in for a loop. I had to run up to Port Angeles. While I was there, I might as well look up the bookstore up there to see if they had the book I needed after I had done some Internet research into the Quileute history. I could just get it from the source, but if Emily was right, somehow, and it was getting more likely by the minute, I would need all the information I could get, and if it was true, I doubted that Jake would tell me, or anyone else for that matter. I needed to get around to the source.

That pushed my plans off until at least next week. I'd have to go up to Port Angeles on Sunday. It promised to be a nice and sunny day, so I could probably handle it. I'd have to go anyways, even if I didn't need the other items, it was my bimonthly run to get more food for the cafe.

I headed back to my cafe and opened up again. While all my customers were feeding, I took the time to call one of my best friends here. Angela picked up the phone not much later and with a grin she and I made plans for Sunday. Jessica would be tagging along as well, she and I became closer over the years, she had been friendly when I first moved here, but it'd taken awhile for her barriers to go down.

She still wasn't the most kind minded person I knew, but we got along well. It made me happy though that her 'best friend' Lauren had left for college and for the exception of a few breaks, never looked back at this sleepy-town. The two of them had a competition for almost every male in the school and unfortunately when I came, the ones they vied for the most, only had eyes for me. It had turned Lauren against me more than anything else. I didn't know what her problem was though, so I ignored her.

Tyler, the one Lauren liked the most, had tried to trick me into a dance, and it was only Jacob's presence that had saved me from trying to explain or wiggle my way out of it. Jacob was my personal savior. I didn't know what I would do without him.

When Charlie came in, I was surprised how fast the day had gone. He had a sandwich and then kissed me on the head in thanks before he told me he had to run down to La Push, some of the boys were causing trouble. "Because of the Cullens?" I asked, knowing even as he left it out.

He sighed. "Yeah, they have their own laws down there, but the only enforcer in the entire area is us." He had learned both, had to, but also wanted to, before he became the chief, it was the only way. "Except for this time, they caused the damage on non-reservation property. The Cullens seem pretty tight night for a family and just good kids in general. With them all being adopted, I could have a lot of trouble on my hands, even Angela's brothers have been giving me a headache recently. Speaking of old friends, have you seen the Newton boy recently?"

I frowned. "No, not really, why?"

"He left something for you at the house. I haven't opened it. I do hope that he still doesn't think he's got a chance with you, even with this strange behavior on Jake's part." I waved him away, his concern noted, but he had to go. I would deal with Mike myself one of these days.

It was a few more hours before I finished cleaning the place up, without the help I've come to depend on, I was a little slower. As I walked out, I could see what Charlie had been angry about. On the side of the buildings facing the street down both directions were the words 'Cullens, Go Back To Hell'. I gulped and shook my head, it wasn't a nice thing to do to newcomers. They had never done that to me, but in a way I guess that I wasn't really a newcomer, I was just returning home.

That and Charlie would have locked up anyone he suspected, his laws or theirs, it wouldn't have mattered and they would have been entrenched in legal debris too deep to get out any time soon. In a lot of ways I was glad I was the cop's daughter, I got away way with more- if I wanted to- not that I ever needed to.

I also got left alone from any serious pranks or advancements, as daddy would be loading a shot-gun just in case. All except for Jake, Jacob was a Saint in my father's eyes, and in a lot of ways that was true, but in a lot of interesting ways, for me, he wasn't.

Like the time he had finally convinced me to jump off the, lower, part of the cliff near La Push. I was sure I was going to die, until I landed and decided to go again and higher, and continued to do so all day and the next, until I almost _did_ die. Then I pulled away and decided maybe it'd be better if I stuck to the lower edge and only went occasionally. I'd gone back three times, once to watch.

I kept going with the motorcycles even though I landed in the emergency room a few times. I didn't know exactly what to tell Charlie, after the tenth time, but it didn't matter, as I got better, and didn't end up there. Or at least as frequently with as severe injuries.

I was hurrying out to my truck, there were supplies in there that would help get rid of the paint, I didn't want the Cullens to have to see it. I don't know how I missed it. They had stayed away from my store though, probably in reverence to Jacob, and not to have a witness so closely related to a cop.

My desire to protect my new townspeople was shot as I saw Edward getting out of his shiny Volvo He turned his head to me as we ran into each other again today, but I slipped on an ice patch. I hadn't realized how cold it was getting, or the fact that the rain-slush-snow water still laying on the ground had frozen while I had been inside. My feet came out from under me and I slid into the road.

Now it wouldn't have been so bad, if a car wasn't coming down this particular street- main street, and was almost on top of me. I braced myself for impact, but it came from a different direction. The air got knocked out of me as I got hit and I opened my eyes. Edward had his arm wrapped around my waist and he had pulled me towards his side of the street. I went flying and I almost hit a lamppost but he twisted and I winced as his back hit it instead, causing it to dent and careen over, towards us. It missed us as his feet pushed off the ground and we slid next to the car and the post smashed into the opposite one's roof.

The glass shattered and rained over us, Edward threw his body over mine to protect me from the volatile missiles. A large, jagged piece of glass landed right next to us, I thought it actually grazed Edward's cheek, that's how close it was, but I didn't see or smell any blood, so it must have just barely bypassed him and if he wasn't on me, then it would have hit me in the forehead and I would have been dead, no doubt. A few still grazed a couple of limbs and there were only small scratches left in its wake on my coat and jeans. My head slammed down onto the ground as Edward moved above mine and I saw him tense at the movement.

I looked back at the original car. It had slammed on its breaks but it now sat in a halt a few feet over where I had been. I would have surely been a pancake under that vehicle. Edward tugged me away from the tires which he had half hid me under and half under him. I looked at the tires, they were balding, I thought in amazement, nothing really setting in yet.

The driver got out of the car and I groaned. It was Tyler's visiting cousin Nate. I should have recognized the vehicle as his. Tyler traded in his mom's mini-van and got a used black mini-suv. Edward helped me out gently as Nate started freaking out.

"Oh my god, Bella, I didn't see you there until I was too late! How did you- end up over here?" He died off as he looked at Edward.

"I pulled her out of the way." Edward responded smoothly, his voice like velvet as he helped me to stand. "Are you all right?" He asked me and I nodded but the action caused me to see stars behind my lids. "No, you're not."

"Man, thank you, you must have been close by." Nate put a hand to his head. "If I creamed you Bella, I'd never hear the end of it. Tyler still thinks the world of you."

I rolled my eyes and leaned on Edward for support. "No mental anguish for you, then?"

Nate's eyes widened as the words sunk in. "I would have been devastated, but I don't know you as well as they do." Nate just kept digging himself a deeper hole and I cut him off.

"Don't worry about it, I'm not hurt."

"Wow, look at that pole." Nate moved on so quickly I must have had whiplash, though he had brought up a very important part. Edward was nowhere near us, he was several buildings down, heading our way, sure, but not in saving distance. I looked at the pole too, if Edward hadn't moved us out of the way, I would have been a shishkabob. "Who hit it?" Nate looked at me, my record of personal injury must have spread to other towns by now.

"I did." Edward was leaning forward and holding the small of his back and had a look of pain on his face. I frowned, he wasn't moving earlier as if he had been hurt. Though it might have been a delay, I felt bad that I had caused him injury. "We'll just go down to the hospital, my father's working there right now. You can go home, Nate."

Nate nodded, he hadn't done anything, just witnessed an incredible feat. Edward lead me towards the hospital, his hand on my arm, as if to ensure I wouldn't run away. I barely felt the pressure through the parka. As we walked, he gradually grew straighter as Nate took off and disappeared. "Are you sure you're all right? That was a hard impact you had-"

"Don't worry about it, Nate'll be gone tomorrow, and I have a feeling that my back injury isn't that severe." I frowned at his words, and I tried to explain to him, I was fine, he should really just get going to see his dad, I didn't need anything. "Bella." He stated calmly and didn't remove his hand. "You are going to see him. I want to make sure you're all right."

I nodded, it was the least I could do, he did after all save my life. He pulled me into the hospital, fearing I'd leave now even after I agreed. Dr. Cullen had me sit and be looked over, he looked like he was concerned for me. I brushed away some of his probing. "You should really look at Edward."

"Edward?" He asked, a note of confusion in his voice, and turned to look at his son. "What's wrong with Edward?"

As if I was the only one who could get hurt around here- I shook my head at the thought. "He hit a street lamp. He's the one that saved me from being waffle-Bella."

Dr. Cullen turned back to me, dismissing my assessment of his son and continued probing me to see if there was any major damage. Finally after insistence from me, Dr. Cullen went to his son and with amusement on both their parts, he checked him out. "You're fine Edward, if you back hurts tomorrow, you can take some pills. But other than that, just be... careful."

I felt as if there was more being said that what was actually spoken and Edward had a huge grin across his features. Then he turned to me and nodded Doctor Cullen to me. "Is _she_ fine?"

"I'd like her to stay, see how her head turns out for a couple of hours, but other than that, you really did save her from injury." Dr. Cullen, told Edward and after I thanked him, he then left the room.

I turned to Edward. "You're going to tell me what happened out there. I need answers."

Edward sat on the opposite hospital bed and stared at me. I sat and stared back at him. "What?" I finally asked when it became too much. I had questions burning, and all he could do was stare at me.

"I'm waiting."

I ignored his response and leaned forward. "What you did out there- that was amazing. How did you do it?"

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything."

"You saved me."

"That's obvious." Edward agreed, nodding his copper head once. If it wasn't for the hair color and bone structure, I would have sworn he was related to Carlisle and it took me back a moment as I could finally look at Edward in the face without having to leave, or be walked away from. That and his words built my irritation and frustration. My gaze must have doubled my opinion as he pressed his lips in annoyance.

"A smart person would thank me and move on."

"Thank you." I responded automatically, and narrowing my eyes and letting him know, that's all the further I was taking his suggestion.

"You're not moving on." It wasn't a question and he sighed. "Look, it was nothing, don't even think about it, because whatever you think you saw, that's a result of the head injury."

"I'm not going to tell anyone but come on Edward, you weren't even close." I argued. "You've all been doing weird things. You especially."

"I'm usually better at keeping myself in line, and being the guard for everyone else. You mess up my perfect record." He paused and seemed to be angry with himself. "I tell you too much."

"You don't tell me anything." I disagreed, which was true, every word he said was cryptic or nothing at all.

"Good, let's keep it that way." He pushed off the bed and stalked over to me. "Let this go."

"No. Tell me." I tried to look as defiant as possible, but somehow, with him so close, his molten eyes staring into my plain brown ones, I was just _dazzled._ I lost almost all of my train of thought, and I probably would have lost my head too, as I looked, when ever he was around, I had trouble reminding myself that there was something I was supposed to do, someone to be loyal to.

"I can't. Just let it go."

"If I figured it out myself?" I asked, my eyes locked onto his and I saw them widen in surprise, and I leaned forward, pressing my point. That and they really were the most interesting shade of eye color I had ever seen.

"Maybe. But by then, it'll be too late." He leaned towards me, lifting a hand towards my head and his fingers almost grazed my forehead, and even though they didn't touch, I could _feel_ it. I gasped at the shock, it felt like electricity singing from his fingers to my skin. It wasn't uncomfortable, but actually comforting and wanted to make me move even closer, to feel that hand actually touching me.

"Get away from her."

Edward straightened up and turned towards the newcomer, before I could even blink. I turned my gaze to who intruded into my room, and felt a smile bloom my lips. "Jake!"

Edward's gaze flickered to mine and his face pinched in irritation. "That's your husband?"

Before I could frown and respond, Jacob spoke. "I said, get away from her."

"Listen to me, you want to calm down." Edward turned back to Jacob and held up his hands.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Jacob was shaking and I frowned at the action, was he so angry at this guy or was he still sick?

Suddenly, Edward laughed. It was at such odds to his previous mood, from warning me to anger and annoyance to humor? I swore, this guy was going to give me a headache with his mood swings. "You really know how to pick them Bella, I never- I thought- well, I thought it was a coincidence." He shook his head in amusement and I wasn't sure what that meant. Then he frowned and moved even more in front of me as Jacob took a step closer. "You really want to calm down."

"Get out of my way." Jacob hissed and I knew he was angry, I had never seen him this way before. My heart went out to him, what was so wrong? It's not like I'd never been alone with a guy before that wasn't Jake.

Edward looked straight at Jacob, his voice turning even more smooth than I remembered it being, almost persuasive. "You don't want what happened to Emily to happen to Bella." He slowly put his hands down and with some fight on Jacob's part, he stopped shaking. Edward nodded and stepped out of the way. "I'll just be down the hall."

He said it to me, but I think it was for Jacob's benefit. Then he was gone, and Jacob was by my side. "Oh Bella." He whispered. He put a hand to my head. "Are you all right?"

"I should be asking you that." I took his hand in my own, it was _so_ hot. "Are you still feeling ill?"

Jacob laughed, it was good to see his easy-going, happy smile again and he gathered me close. "If you can ask a ridiculous question like that, then you have nothing wrong with you." He hugged me and I returned it.

"But are you all right?" I insisted after a moment, it wasn't natural to be that hot, thought it wasn't natural to be as cold as the Cullens either.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. A little disgruntled at the way things turned out, but I'm fine, couldn't be better. Let's go get you home." He swept me off the bed, and I protested but he handled me easily and he'd taken the sheet with him. But in the end relented, and set me down on my feet so I could get dressed. He helped me along tugging my shirt over my head as I buttoned my pants. I slid my arms into the waiting holes and he settled it around my waist. "Come on." He pulled the jacket on and zipped it up for me. I looked at his outfit, he didn't look fit to go out in this weather, but he swung me back in his arms and carried me out past the nurse and onto the street. I didn't see either of the Cullens, I imagine that Edward only came to pick Carlisle up.

He took my keys from me and opened up the passenger door and put me down inside of it before he got behind the wheel. I thought he meant back to the reservation, but I was surprised when he pulled up in front of Charlie's door.

"What are we doing here Jake?" I asked getting out, before he could come around and I looked up farther than I had ever looked up before. "You've gotten huge."

"Ah, thanks Bella." He patted his stomach, looking put out. "You sure know how to make your man feel appreciated."

I wrinkled my nose at him and he lead me inside the house. "Seriously Jake, what are we doing here?"

"We're spending the night." He faked a yawn, I could always tell when he was faking them to get something else out of me. "I'm too tired to drive back down to La Push."

"Charlie-" I started but he shook his head.

"Charlie's staying down there with Billy. He's got a serious mess on his hands. Jared acted out and took some of the younger kids with him. Charlie drove me up here, and once he found out you were ok, he had to high-tail it back down there to finish with the investigation."

"Does he know it was Jared?"

"No."

"Why didn't you tell him? It'd make things easier."

"Because how I know is the way that it doesn't make any sense, and I can't tell him, Bells, I- I can't. He'll figure it out by tomorrow night, and I'll be off the hook. I've told Jared he's got to come clean. He will, just tomorrow, when things have had a chance to settle. Speaking of those Cullens, why was that boy in your room? What were you two talking about?"

"He was the one that saved me, I was talking to him about the near accident."

"You two were awfully close to each other. He was almost touching you. He probably would have if I didn't come in."

I looked at Jacob in confusion. So what if he touched me? It was near the bump I hadn't realized I got in all the quick action, and I was sure it was going to be blue tomorrow. Then everything clicked in my head, why Jacob could possibly be angry that he was there."You can't be jealous of someone younger than you!" I laughed.

"I'm not jealous!" He grumbled. "I just don't like you with any of that clan, it's bad news."

"There was nothing going on, what's up Jake? Or are you as bad as Jared, just didn't do the deed yourself?" I was suddenly angry at this train of conversation. What was it with the reservation that they suddenly had such an aversion to newcomers? It wasn't like they were pushing them out of their land. The Cullens had a house somewhere just out of town. And none of the Cullens save Rosalie had ever given me a reason to dislike them, and Rosalie was just an irritant. "I will see and talk to whoever I like!"

"I'm fine with that. Just not the Cullens!" Jacob pushed me along up the stairs, but at that point, I was just stomping my way up anyways.

"I will talk to the Cullens if I deem it necessary. They haven't done anything wrong! The only ones misbehaving are your people!"

I opened my bedroom door, attempting to slam it in Jacob's face, but he only caught it faster than I could blink and gently shoved me aside as he pulled the curtains closed. "Listen to me!" Jacob growled stalking back to me and I backed up slightly. I had _never_ seen Jacob this mad, not even when I accidentally choked his car and he had to spend a few weeks repairing it, and had to walk to town every day and back as I had to go to Forks. I didn't fear for my safety though, despite his anger, I knew he wouldn't hurt me. "He's dangerous, his whole family is dangerous, let's leave it at that."

"He saved my life." I was just trying to be difficult now.

"Yeah, that's just what he wants you to think! He probably set it up to make it appear that way, but he's the reason you were in danger in the first place. So he could appear the good guy, and you could create a hero complex for him. That way, when he does do something stupid, he won't be blamed for it." Jacob argued with me, and I could only gape at him for a moment, to think someone would set things up like that, just so I could be on their side? It seemed a tad extravagant.

"Jacob Black." I seethed, the anger rising off me in waves as I crossed my arms and stared him down.

I only stared at him, not moving, not saying anything more. I just stared, or was it more of a glare? Eventually he sighed, his tense body relaxing and he looked put out. "Look Bells, I'm sorry." I didn't know if he was sorry though, but I would take his apology. At least it was something, and he wouldn't argue with me on _this_ point anymore.

"Stupid superstition." I narrowed my eyes at him. Somehow he began to believe it in a week, and I wanted to push my point just a bit more, to see how far I could get tonight. "Isn't that what you told me, years ago?"

"The stories, yes. But if you look closely Bella, you might see that not all the stories are that far-fetched." He sighed again and pulled my unwilling body against his chest. "I am sorry, do you want to explain to me what happened? I was just so worried about you and Charlie was too, until he heard that Cullen was your doctor, he seemed like it was no big deal then."

I sighed then too, and rested my forehead against his chest. We never argued, at least, not really, small stuff at the most and it was usually done in jest. I forgave him instantly for all his negativity, if it had been Jacob in the hospital, and I'd been hearing all sorts of negative stories about a group of people, and they happened to be surrounding him when I came, fraught, I would probably have reacted the same way.

I let all the anger out of my body, and forgave him every word, my body practically becoming gel in his arms, and I wrapped my arms around his waist and turned my head so my cheek rested there instead."It was my fault, I slipped on an ice patch. He pulled me out of the way of an on-coming car."

"Then I have to thank him for saving your beautiful life." Jacob teased and raised my head to his. "I've missed you Bells, so much." He lent down and kissed me deeply, there was a passion between us and tonight it was only exemplified. I raised my arms to his neck and dug one hand into his long hair. He pulled me tight against him, so tight I thought I was going to pass out in a combination between lack of air and heat. I moaned and sank deeper into the kiss.

That night, I learned everything about him was bigger, not just his height... like his legs as they hung over the bed frame. He was so hot, the sheets practically were sweating themselves. I curled up against him, forgoing my usual comforter and slept to his light snoring. It was nice to know some things never changed.

I pondered, in my dreams what he meant. I remembered his stories so clearly now, as I thought through them almost daily. And tonight, my dream was of me standing in the middle of a field, a large wolf stood to one side, and a shadow to the other, all I could see were large golden eyes. Then both took off in a lunge, meeting mid-air.

I sat up panting, the words dying on my lips as the dream faded away. "Jake, no." The name-keeper only pulled me back against him, kissed my forehead and cheeks and then told me to go back to sleep, everything was all right. I complied and slept until the sun was peaking through the blinds.

Jacob was already dressing while I stirred. I mumbled in my sleep about loosing my personal heater and heard a chuckle. I cracked open my eyes and soaked in his broad chest. "Morning sleepy-head. I'm making breakfast, if you want to come down."

"It must be poisoned then, because you don't cook." I got used to teasing right back.

"Sure, sure, rest that one at my doorstep, when it's your father's food, that you should really be worried about and go running away from. Come on, it's probably burning by now."

With a kiss, I was suddenly very awake and pulled him back to bed. "Let it burn." I teased.

I finally managed to make myself get out of bed, with Jacob's interference a half hour later. When we got dressed and downstairs, there was nothing even on the stove or in the oven. I turned to Jake with a pout. "What's that about?" He asked, nudging me out of the way.

"You promised me food." I crossed my arms over my chest and tried my best to look put out but we both knew this behavior wasn't me at all, but I wanted to play the part.

"Ah, I did, a half hour ago."

"So where's the over-done food?" I rose an eyebrow and Jake opened the microwave to show two bowls of oatmeal, yet to be nuked. He closed the door and pressed a few buttons before pulling out a pan and dropping almost an entire carton of eggs into it. I watched, fascinated, he seemed to be moving faster than I'd ever seen him move, though not as fast as I saw Edward, last night.

_Edward_, even in Jacob's presence, I still thought about him, and I didn't know why. He was even younger than Jacob, I couldn't be feeling any attraction towards him, but maybe Jacob was right, maybe Edward was becoming a hero-like complex in my mind, he had saved me after all.

Finally breakfast was ready. Jacob put a smaller portion on my plate and gave me a bowl of oatmeal and dumped the rest on his. He noticed my disbelieving look at it piled high on his plate. "Huh?"

"What if I wanted more?"

"Sure sure Bella, that'd be the day, when you'd over eat." He shook his head and started in, and when I continued to just stare he looked up, abashed. "You own a cafe, and have left overs all the time, wouldn't you rather eat that?"

I snorted, I couldn't help it, I was just messing with him anyways. "This Jake." I gestured towards my own food. "Is probably too much for me. Yours, looks like you could feed the entire reservation."

"Maybe, before." He agreed and then continued to dig into his meal. "If its too much for you, I'll eat it." He added as an after thought and I only shook my head.

When we both ate our full, Jacob finishing mine, as promised, he stood up and washed the dishes. I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind and rested my cheek against his back. "Can I come home tonight?" I asked, it was only a week since I'd left, I hadn't expected to see Jacob, but once Charlie found out, it made sense that Jake would come to ensure I was all right.

Jacob tensed at my question and he turned around in my embrace, it was hard to keep myself from feeling like a tiny doll as he held me to him. I could hear his heart beat, it wasn't in a rhythm I recognized, definitely not normal. "I'm sorry Bells, but no, not yet, it isn't safe yet for you to be around me." I wondered if his changes had something to do with my exile.

"I've been pressed up against you for the last twelve hours." I argued, burying my face in his chest. "I've missed you."

He held me close, tightly and I almost couldn't breath, but I didn't mention it, he'd already had a lot weighing on his mind. "I know, I've missed you so much, you'd never understand. But, this was just a moment, not an entire day. It was happy moments, and I love you so much. I'm not sure I can control it yet, enough to make sure you don't get hurt. I'm getting better, and it might be even shorter amount of time than I had said, but not yet. I can't have you in harms way." He pulled back, the urgency in his gaze, trying to get me to understand his need to keep me safe, and his next words only confounded me more. "Stay away from the Cullens, I'm not suffering through this just so the Cullens can hurt you in the time I need to gather myself together." I thought we had gotten past last night's argument, but he really must be afraid of them.

I felt myself frown at the words and I wrapped my arms around him again. "Is this about Emily?" I asked, knowing there was more, that I wasn't being told and Edward's soft warning last night came to my mind.

"Yes and no." He responded and held me close, this time not crushing me. "What Sam did to Emily- yes, I fear that I would do that to you. But no, because I fear that it could be much worse." He sighed heavily and rested his cheek against my head. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way. It was supposed to happen in a moment of anger, and with you, it was a moment of pure happiness that set it off. Maybe that's what allows me to control it better, but I don't know what anger will do."

I looked up at my husband's face and took the russet planes in my pale hands and gazed into his brown eyes. "I love you. I trust that you won't hurt me." He tried to argue and I kissed him. "I don't believe it would be any different, anger verses happiness, just don't run away from me. Trust and love me."

"I do, Bella, I do. And when this is all over, I will explain everything to you in full. Until then, rest assured that I love you, and I will always be there for you." He pulled me close for a final kiss before I heard a car outside honking. "Stay safe."

"Sure, sure." I smiled at him.

"I mean it. Stay alive, and safe."

"I always manage." I threw myself at him and held him close for a moment and he returned the hug in style. "Can't breath." I finally wheezed and with a chuckle, he sat me back on my feet, and a final kiss before he was gone. For another week, or so.


	6. Chapter 5

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Chapter Five

I didn't see Edward all that day, or the next. I saw Alice however, and she gave me the peculiar look again, as if she didn't understand something only I could give her the answer to. I even saw Rosalie, she had only glared at me across the street as I delivered my weekly sandwiches to the precinct. I'd waved in response. Then it was the next day, I didn't see any of the Cullens, Saturday came and went, and then Sunday, again, no Cullens. Before Friday though, I swore I felt like someone was watching me while I slept, I just never caught the person in the act. It actually comforted me to know that Jacob was carrying through with his promise, somehow. There were things I didn't doubt, and magic among his blood line, wasn't one of them. I knew he had something in him, and it wouldn't surprise me if he could oversee me during the night.

However, I wasn't in Forks long enough to know if on this remarkably sunny day, if they decided to venture into town or not. Jessica and Angela came to my door bright and early, Angela wanted to drive, and I let her, it would probably get us there faster than my car anyways.

"I can't believe we're picking you up at your dad's place. Like old times, hmm?" Jessica asked as she leaned forward from the backseat to talk to us.

"Yeah." I agreed. "It sure feels that way, doesn't it?" We were going to Port Angeles for the entire day, including dinner and a movie afterwards. Despite being sunny, it was still cold enough to warrant several thin layers under my thicker ones and a heavy jacket. Jessica and Angela however were only in two layers under their moderately heavy jackets. I would never get used to the cold, I decided, but then again, with Jacob radiating so much heat that he could probably heat our entire house himself, I would never need a coat again as long as his arms were wrapped around me. That thought made me smile and Jessica and Angela both looked at me knowing exactly where that was coming from.

"Tom and Jim say there's new students at the High School." Angela finally said after a moment of silence.

"Really?" I asked, knowing exactly who those students were but Jessica sat up in our space again.

"The Cullens? I hear they're amazing." She sighed dreamily. "Too young unfortunately, but I did see one of the boys, a blond. He's so gorgeous." Jessica was digging for news about our newcomers, not many people knew them or spoke to them or had really any sort of interaction with them. I had found that out yesterday, when I overheard Tyler and Eric talking about them in my cafe. I felt kind of honored and yet uncomfortable for being singled out again. I hated the lime-light with a passion, and with my own cafe here, I was able to hide in the back most of the time, and let Lucy handle the guests that I didn't want prying into my business.

"Anyways, I heard that they keep mostly to themselves. Kind of loners but their own clique, just those kids." Angela was pregnant with Ben's child, she was nearing the end of her third trimester, which made me glad to have Jessica along, because I wouldn't know what to do if she suddenly went into labor. I could only help keep her calm. That reason however, allowed Angela to call someone not much younger than her, a kid.

I rolled my eyes at the term none-the-less and spoke up for them, hoping her kid brothers might help them out sometime. They were as kind as she was, but a little more rowdy. "Maybe it's just because they're new and they're trying to keep some normalcy together." I suggested. "Once they're more comfortable in this new city, maybe they'll branch out from their safety net."

"I heard they move around a lot." Jessica interjected. "Shouldn't they be used to it by now?"

"That's probably why they do hang onto each other, they only have who they travel with. Otherwise everyone else gets taken from them." Angela backed me up, and I smiled at her, she had always backed me up, and she was listened to more than I was by Jessica, especially because Angela studied psychology as her minor.

Angela returned the smile and turned onto the street that would lead us into the port city. Jessica sank back in her spot and contemplated what we both said. Eventually she shrugged and turned to look out the window.

We went to look at dresses first, Jessica needed a new summer one, even though we were still months away from it. She bought a couple of them, and they were all embarrassingly low cut. More slutty than demure. Angela wondered off in a department store the the little kid section, trying to find some clothes or toys, or something. I had no interest in anything like that, children was something I just wasn't ready for or desired. Jacob wasn't in any hurry to expand our family either, he had enough on his plate as it was. It made our relationship perfect at this moment, because we could just _be_ with each other. Plus we both had our fathers to worry about, that was all the children we needed. My mother was included into that list as well, but Phil was taking pretty good care of her down in Florida. I still went and visited her one week a year and she came up for Christmas every other year and my birthday the ones she didn't come up for.

Jacob absolutely loved her, she was playful and teased him relentlessly, but he got to tease her right back. They were a good mix, Jacob though was far more responsible than she ever was. He had to be, we both grew up early. I missed Jacob as I meandered through the isles. I had nothing to get in this store. When we finished, I convinced them to doing the movie now. We settled for a romantic comedy that absolutely bombed, and I was itching to leave halfway through it. The only thing funny about it was the irrational and surprising crudeness.

None of us really cared for it, but Jessica probably got the most from it. I told them, I'd meet up with them for dinner, I had a lot of chores to get done. They followed me to the wharf and when the smell got too much for them, they decided that I was right. We had plans for five. It was three now.

I got a lot of my supplies and had them put aside so I could just pick them up when we were leaving. Nothing would spoil as it waited, and I'd pay on pickup. That done, satisfied that I would have enough ingredients for the next two weeks, and to try something new, I headed to my other destinations. I wasn't sure exactly where either store was. I looked at the sun and decided it was best to try that direction first.

I got to the book store and found exactly what I was looking for without any difficulty, and I thumbed through the pages full of stories relating to Jacob's tribe. Histories that were written down by non-believers who knew all the stories believers told. I felt like this would probably be the most accurate and non-biased rendition I would find, the stories and the people who scoffed at the ideas, would balance each other out to try and find a truth.

As I was involved with my book, and heading in the general direction of the sun, I heard soft footsteps. I looked up and found myself completely in confusion, where had I gotten myself? Port Angeles wasn't so big that I didn't know my basic way around it, but there weren't many things I came up for, not really much of a shopper myself.

I glanced down at my watch, I had spent too much time with my two previous destinations, that I was now almost completely out of time to meet up with the other girls. It was nearing five without hesitation. I looked around, trying to figure out a way out of the area. There was traffic a long way down, and I knew that had to be the main street, as the street was packed and moving. I was probably a good ten blocks or more from it though and that's when I noticed that there weren't many other choices for direction from where I was. There was back the way I had come, or straight or to the right, leading into darkness. There were a few small alleyways, deep enough to line two dumpsters on each side and a space big enough to get them out with the truck, but they didn't lead anywhere but a dead end.

I looked back down at my book and decided my best bet was where I could actually see people at. I started walking again, forgetting why I had stopped in the first place and becoming absorbed in my book again.

When I heard the footsteps growing louder, I paused again and looked around, becoming aware of how alone I was, and how far away I was from civilization. Unless someone was purposely looking down this road, they would miss me. As it was, they were pretty small in my eyes, and I was looking right at them.

I glance around fretfully but couldn't see anyone, and I started again, but this time I was putting my book back into my bag and paying attention to my surroundings. I heard several footsteps, but I couldn't count how many. I had barely gotten two blocks, when I saw a man coming out of an alley way towards me, and I crossed the street to avoid him.

As I passed another alley way, a hand reached out and grabbed along my upper arm. I struggled away from the tight grip, managing to break free, but tripping over my own feet and landing on my knee painfully for a moment before shooting back up to my feet.

The guy from the first alley was coming towards me on my left. The guy in the second, coming out on my right, closer to me than the one on the left. I heard more footsteps, and turned towards the one coming from behind me. I turned forward, my only hope was to run and get to the crowded street. I started walking faster, none of them spoke, but when I was practically running down the street, I could hear their steady footsteps behind me and I couldn't understand it until a fourth man came out from the dark street I had seen earlier and cut off my escape route. I tried to duck around him, but he stepped in front of me again.

"Where you going?" He asked with a grin, I saw that a tooth was missing, probably from a fight. He also had a bruise on his cheekbone, definitely someone who gets into fights. I acknowledge that running, for me, would be a terrible mistake, I'd end up on my face after two feet. I instead grounded myself and straightened up.

"Leave me alone." I warned.

The man behind me hawed in his own amusement and I cringed from the noise. The man in front of me grinned wider. I really wished he would stop, it frightened me more than anything else he did, his smile, it sent shivers down my back.

I think he knew this, because if possible, it got bigger. "What's wrong pretty lady?" He asked and took a step closer, his minions trying to flank my sides.

The only thing I could do was fight. Thankfully, I had laughed at my father's mace can in my room, still there from all those years ago, but I had put it into my purse, so my hand gripped around it now. I would start by swinging the purse at any one of them that got too close. Try to take them out with a well timed blow to the head, and if that failed, I'd spray them in the eyes.

"Back up, leave me alone."

One of them laughed loudly at me, but I was just concentrating on the leader. He laughed silently too. "Feisty." He took another step closer and I straightened up taller. "That'll be a nice change."

"I'm warning you." I clenched my hand around the can so tightly that I felt like my hand would break if the can didn't give first.

They all laughed this time and all of them took a step forward, boxing me in. "We just want to have a little fun." The front one tried to soothe, but I knew his intentions. "A little fun with you, surely you'd like that?"

I shook my head. "Stop right there, or I'll scream!" I took a second to glance around me and realized some of them had been inching forward a little more than I had realized. One of them was almost in touching distance. I had to fight, but I wasn't sure what I could do against four of them.

The one in front only laughed and shook his head. "No one will hear you, because you won't get the chance for long. He took another step forward, and I took one back. "Whose first?" He mused to himself, and one of the ones I had purposely moved away from, shot towards me and gripped my arm.

The other one took that opportunity to grab my other and looked down at my hand. "Married." He seemed pleased by that, and I wasn't sure exactly why. I didn't think any of them would have had an issue if I wasn't.

The one in front nodded, seemingly upset by that fact, and the one behind me ignored all of it as he wrapped his arms around my torso, pulling me against his overweight chest, squeezing my waist to the point I almost couldn't breathe. One hand reached up and fondled me. I struggled but I was outnumbered and out-strengthed. They had been too fast for me to react as I had been planning. The one in front came to stand in front of me and placed one of his hands at my waist, just under my shirt. "I guess I'm first."

I opened my mouth and spat on him. His other hand came up and back-slapped me. It was odd, but I remembered seeing the sun still just above the line of the buildings, taunting me with the fact that this was happening in bright daylight and I could see my salvation several blocks away, but no where near enough to get there. They had planned this out well, and I wondered how many times they had done this before.

I opened my mouth to scream but that hand again hit my face, but this time it was a fist in my jaw and it locked shut and as much as I tried, I couldn't get it open again. "Bitch, shut up, and stay put." He slid his hand into the band of my jeans and popped the first button open. His other hand opening his own pants.

The sun just peaked over the buildings now, a few rays of light casting its beckons on us and for once, I think I almost hated the sun and everything it represented. The men holding me forced me down to my knees, saving me at least from the one man's touch, even though the one behind me still groped and I could feel his stiffness to by back. The one in front opened his pants completely and I saw white for a moment before I heard squealing tires.

My gaze slid to the unbelievable sight. There was no light yet, it had completely darkened in this street, and the street lamps hadn't turned on yet. But two beams of light shone directly in my face, and I saw a figure get out of the vehicle.

"You'll get a chance at her afterwards." The man in front sneered to my possible savior, or my fifth torturer. But even before the man's words were out, the figure was flying at him, and then the man in front of me was gone, then the other three were too.

All four of them were lying in an unconscious heap and I was still in the position they forced on me. It was only a moment before I was scooped up and held against a cold chest. Held easily, one arm under my butt and the other on my head, pressing it against a shoulder and words were being whispered in my ear, but I couldn't understand them as they were being spoken too quickly.

I shook my head, I didn't understand, I didn't know. I struggled against the embrace and I was released to be placed into the passenger side of the car and buckled in without me even realizing it and then we were taking off, and I turned my wide gaze at the savior, not knowing how he had gotten into the car when I swore he was standing right next to me only a heart beat ago.

"Say something, please." His voice was tense, and rasped like velvet against a zipper. My eyes finally adjusted and I could see him clearly, it was none other than Edward.

I shook my head. "How-"

His hands clenched the wheel tighter and if possible, they turned even whiter. His jaw too, looked like it was ready to snap and I carefully fingered my own jaw, it hurt to talk, and I was trying not to get him to notice the action, but his eyes swiveled to me and they squeezed shut painfully.

"The road-" I gasped as I realized how fast he was going and not paying any attention.

"Fuck the road." He growled. "Distract me, now, so I don't go and finish them off while you're in seeing distance."

"Well, that's a reason-" I quipped, I don't know how I did that, but it felt normal, despite the circumstances.

"Another one, Bella, please. Tell me you're all right."

"I'm fine." I responded instantly. "Where are you going?"

Small sentences seemed doable right now, and I took a steadying breath and waited for his answer. "Out of this town."

"You can't!" I gasped. "I have to meet Angela and Jessica for dinner."

"They're big girls, they can handle your absence."

"But- they drove and my food-"

Edward swerved over and after a short spin, we were at a standstill in the middle of nowhere. He turned to me, his voice laced with anger. "You really want to go back to that city after what happened? Are you really that dense?"

"We've already established my IQ." I responded tightly, and his eyes flexed to my face and after a moment of seething anger, he managed a snort of disbelief.

"You- never say the things I think you will." He shook his head and I could see his tension evaporating somewhat. Though it was never really gone. "You really want to go back?" I nodded and he sighed before he put the car in reverse and we were flying down the road in the direction we had just come from. I gripped the door tightly as it all whipped by. I enjoyed some speed, especially when it was me controlling it with the motorcycle, this however was a completely different story. It was at least fifty times faster for one. Another was the fact that I was definitely not in control.

We pulled to a halt outside a restaurant and I saw Angela and Jessica leaving it, looking a tad paranoid. "You really sure-?" Angela was saying to Jessica.

"I can't believe she'd get lost in this city." Jessica shook her head and they both froze as they saw Edward and I get out of the car. "Wha-?"

"I found Bella wandering around, looking confused, and said she was trying to come here." Edward answered before I could think coherently, too much had happened recently for me to wrap my mind around the events or even where I truly was right now.

"Bella!" Angela completely ignored him and came to stand in front of me, Edward tensed at my side, but she didn't notice. Jessica was just staring at him with an open mouth. "What happened? I thought you only had a few errands to run!"

"I got lost, took a wrong turn and ended up somewhere completely different." I answered, and my jaw hurt for a sentence that long.

"We were worried, you were supposed to meet us here over an hour ago. We kind of ate without you." I figured that was more Jessica's idea, and Angela needed the food, so I couldn't fault her. I nodded, glad that they didn't go hungry. "Are you done, or have you got more stuff to do?" She asked, taking my hand in hers.

"I'm-"

"I was actually going to get Bella food, her stomach growled in the car. I'll give her a ride home if that's not a problem." Edward cut in smoothly and I looked at him as if he'd gone completely off his rocker. He winked to the girls and me and my eyes widened a fraction.

"Is that so?" Angela asked, Jessica still hadn't picked up _her_ jaw from where it fell as she drooled over the younger man. I wondered which blond boy she saw than, definitely not Carlisle or Edward if this was her reaction.

I nodded. I had to get some things cleared with Edward first, and I also sincerely doubted that he would let me out of his sight for a moment until he had me safely deposited back in Charlie's house. Something screamed that about him, and I couldn't shake the feeling. "Yeah, you two go ahead. I still have a few things to do around here anyways."

Angela nodded. "Call me if you need anything. In fact, call me when you get home." I bit my lip, that might be awhile. "Do it. I don't care what time it is. Whether its tonight still or tomorrow morning." She gave me a look that broke no arguments and I felt for once, like someone's child needing care. I agreed and with a hug, she towed Jessica away.

Edward turned towards me. "Do you want to eat here?" He looked a little disgusted by the location and I shrugged, I hadn't known he was serious about the food. "Bella?" He stepped closer to me and I realized that my body was shaking. "Bella?" He frowned, and it was too much, I collapsed against him.

He caught me instantly and pulled me up against his chest. "I'm sorry." I whispered and his body shook, but I couldn't tell what it was from.

"Don't you dare." He pulled away enough to put my chin in his hand and his eyes scanned my face. He frowned as he took it what was obviously bruises. He put the back of his hand against the one at my jaw. "No wonder you weren't talking as much as you usually do."

I would have protested that, as I was pretty quiet usually but his hand felt so good there, like an ice pack to sooth the swelling. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back towards the car. "I'm getting you proper food." His fingers grazed my chin another time before he moved around the car again and taking the car out of Port Angeles.

I would just have to pick up my supplies later, I guess. He pulled into the wharf a moment later, I hadn't realized he was heading here first. He found someone and made sure I was still in the car as he talked to a man. Finally, the man pulled out a large crate of ingredients and Edward pulled out a large amount of money and they switched burdens. I wanted to protest the need to take care of it for me, but as I attempted to get out, I hesitated, even though I knew him- I just couldn't get myself to open the door. Edward put it into the trunk and we were off again.

I must have dosed for the next thing I knew, I was in Seattle. The only reason I knew that, was because the large Space Needle was looming in front of me. Edward parked the car and helped me out. "Come on." Then before I knew it, we were in an elevator, heading up to the rotating dinning floor.

"This is good food?" I teased, feeling a little better now that I had slept a little and allowed some time to pass since the incident.

"It's more upscale than anything in Port Angeles." He agreed. "I felt like it would be a nice change."

I nodded and allowed him to lead me with a hand at my waist. I was feeling more confident in my foot steps, though I still stumbled once or twice and as one foot left the solid floor rooted to the ground through the building and onto the turning one, I almost fell over, but Edward caught me.

Somehow we made it to a table, and we were secluded from any other patron. I wondered vaguely how big of a tip he gave our hostess to get this set-up. Though to be honest, it was nearing the end of the usual heavy dinner time.

The hostess placed the menus in front of us, giving Edward a clear view of her assets and practically salivated over him as she looked at him. She plopped my menu down in front of me before leaving and swaying her hips more than necessary. I looked over at Edward, but he was casually looking through the food offerings. He noticed my look and rose an eyebrow.

I only shook my head at him, either he didn't notice because he was that kind of guy, or he was so used to it, and expected it, that his standards were too high for something so obvious. It might have even been a mix of both. And that wouldn't surprise me, I admitted to myself as I looked at him, looking at the menu.

"What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry." I responded, looking at him as if he had gained another head. "What I want is answers." He frowned at that and shut his menu. I hadn't even looked at mine, knowing it was pointless and nothing would really capture my attention. "You'll be giving me answers tonight. I won't take no as an answer."

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking at me over the single candle's glow. I was going to press the issue when he let out a short nod. "I will answer, _most_, of your questions. There are a few I cannot answer, especially not now."

I cast my mind to figure out where to start. I looked out the window we were seated near, and looked down at the darkened streets. They were lit up in places by the buildings, streetlights and cars as people moved around the city, preparing for it to close up until the next morning. The hours were longer, but the pattern was the same as Forks. I thought about Forks and all the questions I had burning there, but I couldn't start with them, I needed more time and we were in a way too public of a place for those questions, with interruptions everywhere and the likelihood he'd answer them without sufficient warming up would be nill.

So instead I focused on today. My mind wanted to shy away from the events leading us together tonight, but I had to face this head on. I would push the actual event away and focus instead on his part of it. My eyes slid away from the city's glow, we were entering the darkened region free from most lights, as we crossed the viewing of the bay. While beautiful, it was too empty to gain much insight into my own mind or thoughts and but it could possibly allow me the peace to collect my thoughts into a semblance of order.

"Where have you been the last few days?" I started there, maybe it could answer how he'd end up in Port Angeles when I was, and I'd get two answers for one question.

"I was camping. We were near the Canadian border, that way Rosalie and Emmett could join us without a problem."

"When did you leave to come back to Forks?"

"A couple of hours ago. I wanted to be home for the game today."

I calculated that in my mind, unless he had left the camping trip early, the possibility that he got to Forks, watched the game and then up to Port Angeles was slim. He was lying to me and as I cast him a look, he sighed and came clean.

"I was worried about you, with me being gone so long... I thought you might have gotten into trouble again."

I swallowed. "So you went to Forks."

"And I couldn't find you, I learned that you were in Port Angeles."

"So why didn't you come talk to me earlier?" I asked, a little disturbed by the fact that he came to Forks to watch over me today, and then found that I had left the city, only to follow me to my destination and to stalk my movements and yet not keep close enough eye on me to protect me, when I did need it?

"I didn't get to Port Angeles until almost sundown. I drove around for awhile looking for you. I was almost too late."

"How did you find me?" I asked, but my questioning was delayed as the waiter came to take our order. "Nothing for me, thanks." I told him as his eyes gazed lazily at me then turned to Edward with that same bored look.

"A glass of white wine, two glasses of water and the Salmon Pasta." Edward ordered and the waiter left without even taking out his order pad. I sighed and leaned back into the seat while pushing up my purple sweater's sleeves. I wasn't going to get my answers now, most likely, but even as I was thinking this, Edward's hand shot out and captured mine and pulled it towards him. I was pulled along with it awkwardly.

"Wha-?" I asked, realizing how tired I was at that moment because of the lack of ability to even speak clearly.

He didn't respond right away, instead he was looking at my right wrist, turning it in his inspection. He ghosted his fingers along the punished flesh and wrapped his own hand in an attempt to sooth it and reduce the inflammation. When I tried tugging it away, embarrassed by the attention he was giving me, his eyes snapped up to mine. I was falling again, I couldn't feel anything in my body, but no, it wasn't falling, but more of a floating feeling as I looked into those darkened irises. "Do you hurt anywhere else?" He asked gently, turning his hand to reach out and put it back against my jaw, where he already knew was a bruise.

I shook my head. It was a lie, but I didn't want him to worry about me. In truth though, there was probably a bruise forming along the upper part of my left arm where the other guy had grabbed me, and a couple of bruises on my breasts and hip, from where I was squeezed. There was also probably a scrape or a very large, ugly bruise. It hurt to move my knee and I kept it carefully stable. I wondered if it was even more than that, but I wouldn't bring it to Edward's attention, because it probably wasn't. It definitely wasn't a break, I'd know that, as I've had many in my life.

He frowned at my answer. "You're lying."

I sighed, I wasn't a good liar, I knew that, and I don't know why I even thought it was possible to get away with it, especially Edward who seemed more intuitive than most. "It's nothing." I responded and turned my eyes to his, challenging him. "You didn't answer my question, how did you find me?"

He didn't answer. He didn't answer for so long, that I was preparing to push the issue, when our food came. The waiter set the shrimp pasta in front of Edward and put down two glasses of water and the hostess from earlier put the wine down. When the two of them left, I noticed a piece of paper under the glass of wine. Edward lifted the glass and removed the paper before I could. Then he put the glass in front of me.

"Drink it." He ordered and pressed it into the palm he still had a hold of. My fingers curled around it, looking at him in confusion. "It'll help settle your nerves. Just one though."

I frowned, he needn't have done that, but I took it to me and took a sip, to appease him. "You found me." I stated and he nodded, settling back into his chair and I took another sip.

"I lied earlier." He stated, and I looked at him to continue. "I was up here earlier than I said. You and the other girls were in the wharf, when you had just gotten there, and I was satisfied that nothing would happen to you in the mean time, so I drove around, I'd try to catch up with you later and 'run into you', and I kept tabs on them occasionally, but I missed it when the two of them split off. Their thoughts were occupied with other things, so I didn't notice. Then as it was nearing sundown, they were starting to wonder about you, and that's when I knew that you were gone."

"Wait, their thoughts?" I asked, it was a little weird.

Edward froze, his face a little bit tense before a complete mask covered over it of neutrality. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean?" I asked, knowing when he was lying too. "Or are you going to tell me some story now, and then later tell me you lied again?"

His jaw clenched before he relaxed it, looking at me. "You are trustworthy, aren't you?" He mused to himself. Then he nodded, I was wondering if he always talked to himself like this, and he leaned forward, I did as well. "I can read minds. I hear people's thoughts."

I leaned back, taking another sip of my wine, and he nodded at my reaction, as if knowing that's what I was going to do. But he probably thought I was thinking he was crazy, or scared, instead I was curious and I told him so. Then he frowned, and I knew I was right. "So, you can read minds? What am I thinking right now?" It was a stupid parlor trick question, and I felt like an idiot for asking such a cliché question, knowing it sounded skeptical to ask it.

He chuckled, his face relaxing. "Ah, something normal!" He teased and I blushed, I felt his eyes sharpen on the action but it only caused the blush to deepen. He tensed on his side of the table. When the blush subsided, so too did his tension. "That's just the thing, isn't it?" He mused quietly, but this time I felt like he was including me in his dialogue. "I can read everyone's minds, except for yours."

"So, I'm a freak?" I asked, looking put out, I always knew there was something wrong with me.

"See, I tell you I hear voices, and you think you're the freak? That's what I'm talking about, never an expected reaction." When I opened my mouth to repeat my question, he only shook his head. "You're a blessing and an irritant." He told me, taking the untouched food and plopping it down in front of me. "You won't burn yourself now. Eat it."

I frowned. "You ordered it."

"I already ate. Besides, I ordered it for you, you need it." I refused and he narrowed his eyes. "If you eat it, I'll talk."

I reluctantly dug in, shrimp wasn't my favorite, I wasn't really a fan of any type of fish, but I had to admit as I pointedly took a bite, that it _was_ good. Maybe I just had the wrong type of shrimp all these years.

He took my cue and relaxed into his chair, realizing he was caught if he really wanted me to eat. "I have the ability to read minds, like I've already said. You being blocked to me, it is a relief as I don't always have the buzzing in the back of my head when its just the two of us. Even though I usually try to block it out, I still catch snippets when I'm not paying attention. The more I know a person, the clearer their voice becomes and the further away I can be from them to hear them."

I took another bite, urging him to continue. This was all very interesting.

"You being blocked to me is also very irritating. I am used to hearing whoever I want, and not having to actually interact with them. I do have to watch myself though sometimes that I don't answer the question they have in their head verses the one they say." He hesitated and then looked at me. "You can't think your a freak when I say this." I nodded my agreement, though we both knew, that I might still. "But I really wish I knew your thoughts, because the words and reactions you have, aren't what I would expect from any other girl."

I frowned. "I'm not like a normal girl?" I asked, before I realized I spoke out loud.

He laughed. "Yes. And for that, I'm thankful. Normal girls irritate me in their mundane chatter, both in their head or out loud."

"So, what are people thinking around here?" I asked, my eyes going around the room, and I frowned as I saw a girl with spiky pink hair and a nerdy looking guy sitting with her. My thoughts were comparing them to me and my companion, and I was probably that nerdy guy of the relationship, not quite up to standard to my companion, and people wondering what the more interesting one saw in the plain, boring and ugly one.

Edward's gaze followed mine and he laughed. "The girl is thinking if its inappropriate to take him on the table in the middle of the restaurant. The guy is thinking about a couple of different things, his attraction to her and wondering why he would even think someone so crazy is attractive, when he would never be able to be seen with her at work. He's also undressing her in his mind. But he's also thinking about his animals at home and if his mom has fed them yet and if she would be asleep by the time they get there."

"She's just thinking one thing?" I asked, amazed.

"Eat Bella." He chided softly and I put another forkful in my mouth. I really wasn't all that hungry, but if it pleased him, I would eat half of it. My wine was gone already and he nudged one of the waters towards me. "She's determined not to act on her thoughts but she wants him."

I almost snorted, that could have described me once Jacob and I were married, it was hard to keep our hands to ourselves long enough to get through a single dinner in public. We never made it through private ones, unless Billy or Charlie were around, then it kind of threw a bucket of ice water over our desires. I paused, I hadn't thought about Jacob once since the incident. I glanced at my dainty silver watch, it was nearing the time he usually called me at night. If I didn't answer, he might get a little worried...

"Do you want to leave?" Edward asked, taking in my action and I hesitated, I wanted to know more, but I also felt bad about my lack of Jacob thoughts until this moment and I didn't want to miss his call. Finally, I settled on shaking my head no, because there was no way we'd make it before it was too late, especially from Seattle, even with how fast he drove.

My gaze went out onto the city again, and I smiled slightly at the music building as we arrived in that direction, the building was very amusing as I learned a long time ago that it had very good acoustics but the shape entertained me. It stuck out in several different directions and they arched up and around. "I have to make a phone call really quickly." I bit my lip and patted my pocket for my phone.

He stood up as I did, and seemed to hesitate against my leaving his sight, but then nodded and waited for me to leave the table before he sat back down. I went down a level, so the noise would be easier to converse, and leaned against the wall, and felt the air come in through the window, it calmed any remaining nerves and I breathed it in deeply before hitting the send button.

"Bella." Jacob's voice breathed over the phone in relief. "Where are you? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine Jake. I went with Jessica and Angela to Port Angeles today, but we are still here, I guess we went a little over time." I told him trying to ease his anxiety.

"Oh." He paused. "Good. I called your house, but Charlie said you weren't there. I wasn't sure if something had happened for you to miss my phone call. It's getting late. Are you going to be home soon?"

"I don't think so. We were thinking about catching a movie." I was so glad that he couldn't see my face, because I was sure he would know I'm lying even before I got a single word out. I wouldn't usually lie to him, but I knew his dislike for the Cullens, and in particular for this particular Cullen, that I didn't want to flare up his worry and anger. He would again blame it on all being orchestrated to get into my good graces, and I doubted that severely. There was something more going on that neither told me, and why would one of the Cullens want to get close to me, even with my father's connections, if it was something more than Charlie could handle?

"Ok." Jacob stated, still with a little stress in his voice, but relaxing with my assurance. "Please call me when you get home. I love you, and take care of yourself, will you?"

I agreed and with my own sentiments, I hung up the phone, before calling Angela. "Hey Ang, I'm home, please don't worry anymore. It's not good for you or the baby."

"Please Bella, you wouldn't know the first thing about pregnancy." She teased, and it was true. I was never really around babies, instead spending most of my time with older people. "Well, I'm glad your home. I'm going to swing by the restaurant tomorrow and see how the rest of your night went." We disconnected soon afterwards and was looking forward to some more one on one time with her.

I couldn't believe I got away with two lies in one night, again, Edward was probably just as prone at reading people's body language as he was their minds, and mine was no exception. I went back upstairs and Edward looked like he was getting antsy from my current distance. It must not be that fun for him, not eating or drinking and getting pressed for information. Maybe I should take it easier on him? Except, I wouldn't get my answers otherwise.

I returned to the table, intending on giving him a reprieve, he gave me information I wasn't expecting, and I would just have to look up my other answers in my book, but as I sat down to tell him such, he pushed my plate closer. "It might be a little cold."

I shrugged and took a bite, he wasn't anymore prepared to leave than I was. "Where were we?" I might as well get all of it on the table.

He shook his head. "First I want to talk to you about something. Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes. Much. You were right, this food is better than anything I would find in Port Angeles."

He shot me a glance, clearly irritated at my answer, as that was not what he was asking, instead of making me rephrase, he cleared his through. "I'm glad. This next part, I don't want you to freak out or anything about it, but I have to know. What were you planning to do? You were completely surrounded, why didn't you run? Or scream?"

"I tried to run, I tripped."

"Is that why you were on your knees?" He asked, and I had a feeling he knew the truth, I just didn't know why he was pushing this issue.

"I got back up, and prepared to fight them off." I responded, and he nodded, he _did_ know that I was planning it.

He held up a finger when I was going to retort on that. "I saw in the man's eyes that you were straightening up and there was a look of determination on your face. I just wanted to know what was going through your head and why you wouldn't run. Now I know. But again, I have to ask, why didn't you scream?"

"I didn't at first, for whatever reason, I couldn't even tell you."

"Instead you spat at him." Even with the reprimand in his tone, I could see a smirk waiting to quirk up at the notion.

"Then I couldn't scream. He'd backhanded me and punched my jaw." I answered his question. "There is another question I'd like to ask you, is how did you find me?"

"I told you, I can read minds." When I shook my head, I noticed a strain in his entire body with having not only to relive his end of things, but also to explain it out loud. I was going to tell him it was all right, that he didn't need to tell me if it was that painful, but he started talking before me. "I was franticly looking around the city, driving, listening in, trying to find someone who even recognized you in their minds. I got nothing. Then I went back to Jessica and Angela and they were saying that you were going to a couple of different places. I knew about the wharf, and I had already scanned their minds, knowing that nobody remembered seeing you recently. Then I checked out the spare parts store, and still, there was nothing. I got to the book store, and I knew you'd been there."

"The bookstore clerk was thinking about me?" I didn't think my presence was that noticeable and Edward's behavior confirmed it.

"No, I just knew." He was evading another question, and knew it was something he couldn't answer, so I didn't push it. "Anyways, I tried following it and it lead me somewhere I couldn't go by foot." I had gone by foot, why couldn't he? I pushed that thought to the side for a moment and nodded for him to continue. He was avoiding that too for a reason.

"I wasted a lot of time, trying to find a way around it, and I still didn't know where you currently were. That's when I heard his thoughts. They were all disgusting, but the others weren't specific, just vague thoughts. His stuck out."

I reached out to cover his hand but he pulled away instinctively, but returned his hand to the table and wrapped one around my hand and put another around my bruised wrist. "What was he thinking?"

"Vile things. He was hoping you were a virgin. He gets off on the pain." Edward's face clenched and I squeezed his hand. It didn't react like it normally would, instead it felt like I was squeezing cold marble, I almost hurt myself in the process. I looked down at our hands in surprise, but he only squeezed lightly back and I returned to his eyes.

"It must be awful knowing exactly what people are thinking instead of only guessing at them." He was still editing for me, but at least I was getting the truth.

"It's not something I always get used to." He agreed. "I try to ignore it, but directed towards you, I just felt furious." I cocked my head at that and he snapped his mouth shut. I realized he wouldn't explain that now, or he couldn't. "I used to take out my anger at them, I'm not a good person Bella, you should run away and stay away from me."

"I can't." I disagreed. "You're always the one coming to me to save me." I teased.

"I can't stay away from you. I'm too selfish, but if you tell me to leave you alone, I will. I've tried to stay away, but I'm too weak."

"There shouldn't be any reason for you to stay away."

He sighed and reached up, pushing a strand of hair out of my face and behind my ear. "You are too trusting." Then he continued his story. "I heard him think 'she's so easy- so into her book'. I knew it was you. I've seen you read at the cafe when you think no one is watching, the cafe could burn down around you, and you wouldn't notice. I only caught a whisper of it, and then it was gone. I caught the others, thinking vague thoughts. I finally heard his voice as he spoke to you, about you being feisty. Then I heard about the ring on your hand, between the two of them, one was thinking slightly kinder thoughts, that at least you would know how to do him. The one in front was furious but would take advantage of your 'skills'." Edward's face turned absolutely disgusted. "The things they were thinking of making you do-" I heard him growl softly, reigning it in for me and I clutched at his hand, not in fear for myself, but for Edward. I once again thought that he seemed older than seventeen.

"It's all right, it's over now."

"They'll go and do it to another girl. You weren't the first Bella, and you wouldn't have been the last. A few of them didn't know it, but he was planning on you dying. Like some of the others." He held my hand tightly and I tried to flex my fingers, he let go instantly, and worried over if he bruised me. I waved him off. I bruised too easily anyways, my body should have been used to it, seeing as how often it happened. "I was stuck, I couldn't get to you on time. Bella, I was too late."

"You saved me." I argued. "Don't ever think anything but that. You saved me last week, and you saved me today. You might not have been able to prevented a few bruises, but I knew where he was heading when he opened his pants and I was forced to my knees. You stopped that from happening, you stopped anything else that could have happened too. You weren't too late."

He didn't agree, but he didn't argue back. I wanted to push it more, but something in me warned me not to and so I didn't. He looked down at the watch on my wrist and nodded. "We better get you home. As it is, we'll just get to your doorstep nearing one."

I sighed and after he paid, with several protests from me, we left the Space Needle. When we were outside, he noticed my slight shiver, since it had been so nice out, I had left my parka in Angela's car during the wharf visit. I'd have to call her tomorrow and ask her for it before she came in. The next thing I knew, was that Edward's jacket was over my shoulders and he held it open for me to slid my arms through it.

I thanked him and he opened the door for me to allow me to sit. He closed it as I buckled my own seatbelt and it took him longer to get into his seat than earlier. And as I was buckling myself in, I vaguely noticed that my pants were buttoned close. I thought through that, I didn't redo it, in fact I had forgotten all about it. The only time Edward had even been close to my waist was when he buckled me in while in the alley.

He noticed my questioning look and returned it. I blushed deeply. "I think that's so adorable." He commented vaguely and I deepened my curiosity. "The blush." He clarified. My blush only deepened. "It's also distracting as hell. Don't think I don't like it when I react negatively, I have a reason why, but I can't tell you."

I nodded. I didn't know why, but it deepened even more, and I was sure if he said another word, I would combust through my cheekbones. I didn't know why his opinion mattered. Maybe Jacob was right, maybe I was suffering through some type of hero worship complex with Edward. He had saved me twice in almost as many days. It was uncanny how he was always there, but I was glad for it. I was never in this much danger in the past though, and I wonder what sparked it off.

As he drove, I noticed he didn't even look at the road, but instead was looking at me. I protested. "Built in scanner." He teased, with a tap to his forehead. "Even so, I'm not reckless, there's nothing I could hit."

"Fine." I mumbled. "But could you at least slow down?" I was starting to get a little nauseous.

He slowed down twenty miles an hour less and shot me an irritated glance, he obviously didn't like going slow. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Yes." I agreed. "I do mind."

"Please, just one question."

"Fine."

"What is your theory?"

"I don't really know myself." I hedged, knowing exactly what he meant and kicking myself for leaving me wide-open and agreeing to answer this question. He'd only laugh at me. "I've thought about, capes and costumes and radioactive changes."

I attempted to make it as vague as possible, but he still laughed and I scowled at him. "Sorry." He held up his hands and I gasped at the action. He didn't put his hands back on the wheel for a minute, taunting me and finally when my hand on the door became white, he finally relented and returned one. He was still laughing, and after a moment to get my heartbeat back to normal, I glared at him again, for still laughing at me. He knew exactly what I was referencing. "Isn't that all superhero stuff? People magically transformed into something better?" He finally asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm working on it." In fact, that's what I had really thought at first, liking him with Superman or Spider-man, instead, I knew it was something a little darker, though superheros sometimes had dark pasts as well. I also wondered how Jacob fell into all of this. Though as he stifled another chuckle, I admit, it was a little far-fetched, superheros, fairy-tales and what I've come to believe don't really exist. But then again, all the signs- I couldn't complete disregard it.

Edward's gaze lingered on me for a moment before returning to look forward, at seemingly nothing. Then he spoke again, but there was a hard edge to his voice. "I'm not the good guy. I wasn't magically transformed by something to be the hero who saves the day. I'm not good, I'm very bad."

"Ludicrous!" I snapped. "You are not bad. I don't know why you ever started this train of thought, you've saved me twice!"

"That's because your clumsy." He laughed. "And danger seems to be a magnet towards you. If it isn't me, it's your husband, and if its not him, it's those men or some car trying to take you down." His amusement at my clumsiness turned sour as he realized that it only put me in harms way, and it wasn't such an enduring trait.

"It had been getting better. I would get through whole days at a time without needing stitches or to set something or even get a bruise. In fact I had a few days where I didn't trip once."

"And now, you are worse?"

"I don't know if I was ever supposed to be good all the time. My father's genes in me I guess, but he's gotten better over time, no longer tripping over his own feet." I laughed then. "I fear for any kids Jacob and I will have, with his height and awkwardness when he was growing, and my skills in walking a straight line, I fear that they'll be dead before the age of one."

"I'm sure Jacob would never let any of your children hurt themselves, he seems to protective for that." Edward bit out tersely, and I realized that children was a very weird subject. Even for me, one who didn't want any, and Edward probably wasn't even thinking in that direction yet.

But I had to say one last thing on the subject. "You probably wouldn't even let a child of yours out of your sight, or out of the house, for that matter."

Edward snorted. "If it was a child between the two of us, you'd probably be right."

The words froze me to the spot, a child with _Edward_? It was very inappropriate and as he looked over at me again, wondering what he said to make me suddenly freeze, he did too. "I- didn't mean it like that." I didn't know if that was the truth or not, maybe there was something in there that I wasn't seeing. "I just meant if it was my child and they had a mom like you who would pass on her clumsy genes, I would have to worry constantly about them. If they took after me though, I probably wouldn't care what they would do."

I had a feeling that he was saying more than I understood, but the conversation was null and void as he was barely eighteen and I was married to someone else, we wouldn't be having kids, it wasn't possible. Even if I wasn't married, it wasn't right, and I really should put some distance between Edward Cullen and I, he might have gotten an unhealthy attachment to me. Angela and I had been talking in the car about them, and how children who move a lot have weird mentalities towards strangers. I probably became his interest because he wanted something to hold on to here. I turned my head and looked out at the road flying by. I would tackle out issues later, I would start by telling him that he shouldn't be attracted to me if he was. He was very attractive, I was sure he could find someone closer to his age.

I never got a chance to say anything else to him as he pulled up to my house, and I got out, giving him back his jacket. "Good night Bella, have good dreams."

"Thank you. Good night." I closed the door and walked up to the porch, I was just going to make my phone call to Jacob then, but Edward was waiting for me. "What?" I asked softly.

"You think I saved you earlier tonight, just to let something happen to you now? Go inside." He said from the rolled down window he peaked his head through to talk to me.

I grumbled and opened the door and went inside. My earlier assessment about him making sure I was safely delivered to Charlie, held through. But when I got inside, I heard the familiar rumble of Charlie's snore and smiled softly to myself. I dialed Jake, just to let him know that I was home. Then I headed up the stairs, tomorrow was going to be a long day.

EAN: *Wince*, Don't shoot me... I'm going into hiding so you can't find me and burn me alive with this chapter as kindling.... Let me know what you think, and maybe I'll come back out... (Like the gofer and the start of spring... you have to entice me out...)


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